The British Journal of Rheumatology, Vol 36, 207-209, Copyright © 1997 by British Society for Rheumatology
DC Kilpatrick
Low levels of mannan binding protein (MBP) may protect against rheumatoid
arthritis and other inflammatory conditions associated with agalactosyl
IgG. MBP concentrations were measured in 99 sera found to be positive for
rheumatoid factor, at least 41 of which were from patients with rheumatoid
arthritis, and the values compared to the data from 352 controls. MBP was
undetectable in similar proportions of patients' and control sera (4.0 and
4.3%, respectively), and low values generally were similarly distributed in
the two groups. Overall, however, the patient values were distorted upwards
relative to controls, consistent with an acute-phase response. These
findings do not refute the proposed role for MBP-agalactosyl IgG-mediated
complement activation in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, but
certainly provide no support for that hypothesis.
ORIGINAL PAPERS
Mannan binding protein in sera positive for rheumatoid factor
Department of Transfusion Medicine, Edinburgh.
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