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  • Anti-carbamylated protein antibodies: a specific hallmark for rheumatoid arthritis. Comparison to conditions known for enhanced carbamylation; renal failure, smoking and chronic inflammation

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Anti-carbamylated protein antibodies: a specific hallmark for rheumatoid arthritis. Comparison to conditions known for enhanced carbamylation; renal failure, smoking and chronic inflammation
  1. M K Verheul1,
  2. S J H van Erp2,
  3. D van der Woude1,
  4. E W N Levarht1,
  5. M J K Mallat3,
  6. H W Verspaget2,
  7. J Stolk4,
  8. R E M Toes1,
  9. A E van der Meulen-de Jong2,
  10. P S Hiemstra4,
  11. C van Kooten3,
  12. L A Trouw1
  1. 1Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
  2. 2Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
  3. 3Department of Nephrology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
  4. 4Department of Pulmonology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
  1. Correspondence to Dr L A Trouw, Department of Rheumatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, Leiden 2333 ZA, The Netherlands; l.a.trouw{at}lumc.nl

https://doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-209248

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    Antibodies that target carbamylated proteins (anti-CarP antibodies) have been described as a biomarker in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).1 However, little is known about the factors that predispose to the production of anti-CarP antibodies. Carbamylation is a posttranslational modification resulting from the conversion of lysines into homocitrullines that requires the presence of cyanate. There are several conditions in which the concentration of cyanate (and therefore carbamylation) is increased, such as renal failure, chronic inflammation and heavy smoking.2–4 We therefore addressed the question whether conditions of enhanced carbamylation could result in the induction of anti-CarP antibodies.

    To investigate this, we determined the presence of anti-CarP antibodies in serum samples from patients with renal failure,5 inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)6 and in heavy smokers with or without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)7 (see table 1). The presence of anti-CarP antibodies in healthy controls and patients with RA was used as a comparison.1 ,8 The collection of these cohorts was approved by the Leiden University Medical Center ethics committee and informed consent …

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors MKV, SJHE, EWNL, MJKM, JS, AEM, REMT and LAT contributed to the planning and design of the study, while MKV and EWNL are responsible for the (technical) execution. Analysis and interpretation were carried out by MKV, SJHE, DW, HWV, REMT, PSH, CK and LAT. All authors contributed to the writing of the manuscript.

    • Competing interests REMT and LAT are listed as inventors in a patent application regarding the detection of anti-CarP antibodies for RA.

    • Ethics approval Leiden University Medical Center ethics committee.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.