Homocysteinylated alpha 1 antitrypsin as an antigenic target of autoantibodies in seronegative rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease and rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) are the most frequently detected autoantibodies (autoAbs). To date, more than 20% of RA cases are still defined as seronegative forms (seronegative RA, SN-RA). The aim of this study was to identify new antigenic targets of autoAbs in RA patients, which can also be recognized in SN-RA.

Association between antibodies to carbamylated proteins and subclinical atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients carry a high risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The excess of cardiovascular disease cannot be entirely explained by traditional risk factors and the immune system contributes to the development of atherosclerosis. Moreover, post-translational modifications such as citrullination and carbamylation have been linked to inflammation and atherosclerosis.

Erratum to: Prevalence, sensitivity and specificity of antibodies against carbamylated proteins in a monocentric cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Anti-CarP antibodies were detected in 117 patients with RA (37.9%), ACPA in 190 patients (61.4%) and RF in 202 patients (65.

Prevalence, sensitivity and specificity of antibodies against carbamylated proteins in a monocentric cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Background: Antibodies against carbamylated proteins (anti-CarP) have been recently identified in the sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The objective of the study was to evaluate the prevalence, sensitivity and specificity of anti-CarP compared to anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) and rheumatoid factor (RF), replicating the existing data in a large cohort of Italian patients with RA and extending the evaluation to other autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs).

Methods: Serum samples (n = 607) from 309 patients with RA, 200 disease controls and 98 normal healthy subjects (NHS) were evaluated.

Post-translational modifications in rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis: Focus on citrullination and carbamylation.

Coronary heart disease is the main cause of mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a disease known to be associated with accelerated atherosclerosis. The role of inflammation and immunity in atherosclerotic process offers possible explanations for the increased cardiovascular risk in patients with RA. The immune response to citrullinated peptides has been extensively studied in RA; antibodies directed to citrullinated peptides are now a cornerstone for RA diagnosis.

The Role of Posttranslational Protein Modifications in Rheumatological Diseases: Focus on Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The definition of posttranslational modification (PTM) encompasses a wide group of chemical reactions that allow modification and modulation of protein functions. The regulation of PTMs is crucial for the activity and survival of the cells. Dysregulation of PTMs has been observed in several pathological conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA).