Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP/ACP5) promotes bone length, regulates cortical and trabecular bone mass, and maintains growth plate architecture and width in a sex- and site-specific manner in mice.

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) serum levels reflect osteoclast number, bone remodeling activity, and fracture risk. Deletion or loss of function of TRAP results in short stature in mice and man. Yet, the impact and mechanisms of TRAP for the site- and sex-specific development of bone and cartilage is not well understood.

B cells and antibodies in progressive multiple sclerosis: Contribution to neurodegeneration and progression.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by demyelination, axonal degeneration and gliosis. The progressive form of MS is an important research topic as not much is known about its underlying mechanisms and no therapy is available. Although progressive MS is traditionally considered to be driven by neurodegeneration, compartmentalized CNS inflammation is currently accepted as one of the driving processes behind neurodegeneration and progression.

Targets of the humoral autoimmune response in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) with heterogeneous clinical, genetic and pathophysiological characteristics. The establishment of reliable biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of MS has therefore proven to be very difficult. During the last decades, mounting evidence has been collected for the involvement of B cells and antibodies in MS pathogenesis.

Sperm-associated antigen 16 is a novel target of the humoral autoimmune response in multiple sclerosis.

We have previously identified eight novel autoantibody targets in the cerebrospinal fluid of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, including sperm-associated Ag 16 (SPAG16). In the current study, we further investigated the autoantibody response against SPAG16-a protein with unknown function in the CNS-and its expression in MS pathology. Using isoelectric focusing, we detected SPAG16-specific oligoclonal bands in the cerebrospinal fluid of 5 of 23 MS patients (22%).

Identification of a genetic variant for joint damage progression in autoantibody-positive rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Joint destruction is a hallmark of autoantibody-positive rheumatoid arthritis (RA), though the severity is highly variable between patients. The processes underlying these interindividual differences are incompletely understood.

Methods: We performed a genome-wide association study on the radiological progression rate in 384 autoantibody-positive patients with RA.