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Rheumatoid factors: where are we now?
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Introduction |
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Rheumatoid factors (RFs) are autoantibodies against IgG. They are probably the most studied antibody since their discovery by Waaler in 1937. In this editorial we aim to briefly examine the proposed roles of RFs, how they may contribute to disease pathogenicity, and, in so doing, mention the application of novel peptide technology, crystallography and molecular modelling to rheumatoid factor study.
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Occurrence and roles of rheumatoid factors |
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RFs are not exclusive to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). They are found in a number of other autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematous and Sjögren's syndrome, infectious diseases such a mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Lyme disease and in healthy people.1
RFs seem to have a beneficial role to the normal functioning of the immune system. They may do this in a number of ways:
(1) Clearance of immune complexes. IgM and IgG RFs may bind to an
antibody-antigen complex and facilitate clearance by binding to the Fc
receptors on phagocytes.2 In particular,
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This article has been cited by other articles:
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Halldórsdóttir, H D, Jónsson, T, Thorsteinsson, J, Valdimarsson, H
(2000). A prospective study on the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis among people with persistent increase of rheumatoid factor. Ann Rheum Dis
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JÓNSSON, T., VALDIMARSSON;, H., AXFORD, J., SOLTYS, A.
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