Tsoulfa, Georgia; (1991) Immune reactivity to heat shock proteins in rheumatoid arthritis. Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

This study was performed to pursue the hypothesis that immune reactivity to heat shock proteins (hsps), in particular to the mycobacterial 65 kDa hsp, was important in the aetio- pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. Humoral responses to mycobacterial and Escherichia coli 65 and 70 kDa hsps, as well as to human 70 kDa hsp, were studied in RA patients, healthy individuals and disease controls. It was found that the IgG antibody levels to the mycobacterial 65 kDa hsp, and not to the E. coli homologue, were significantly elevated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients compared with healthy individuals, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis and Crohn's disease patients. This was the first indication that antibody responses to the mycobacterial 65 kDa hsp might be important in RA. There was evidence for cross-reactivity of these antibodies with human 65 kDa hsp (i.e. autoreactivity). A 65 kDa protein was found in RA synovial fluid samples and was also present in immune complexes from such fluids. There was no difference in the cellular responses of RA patients and healthy individuals to the mycobacterial 65 kDa hsp. These findings suggest that the 65 kDa hsp molecule may be relevant to the aetiopathogenesis of RA. The regulatory mechanisms of the immune responses to the 65 kDa hsp remain to be elucidated.

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