Increased levels of serum IgM antibody to staphylococcal enterotoxin B in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Article Abstract:

Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), a toxic substance produced by the bacterium Staphylococcus, may play a role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Researchers analyzed blood samples from 34 patients with RA, 30 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 16 patients with Sjogren's syndrome, 6 patients with Behcet's disease, and 22 healthy volunteers for the presence of antibodies to SEB. They also analyzed the joint fluid from 13 patients with RA for SEB antibodies. Patients with RA had a higher blood level of SEB antibodies than any of the other groups. Patients who had RA for less than 10 years had higher blood levels of antibodies to SEB than those patients who had RA for more than 10 years. The SEB antibody levels in blood samples from RA patients were similar to the SEB antibody levels in their joint fluid.

Physiological aspects, Rheumatoid arthritis, Enterotoxins

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Cytokine production by endothelial cells infected with human T cell lymphotropic virus type I

Article Abstract:

Endothelial cells infected with human T cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-1) appear to secrete inflammation mediating substances. HTLV-1 is believed to play a role in such autoimmune inflammatory disorders as polyarthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, uveitis, polymyositis, and alveolitis. Endothelial cells line blood vessels. Researchers incubated endothelial cells from human umbilical veins with infected T cells and compared results with endothelial cells incubated with noninfected T cells. Infected cells produced increased amounts of the inflammatory substances interleukin-1alpha, interleukin-6, granulocyte colony stimulating factor, and granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating factor.

Infection, Measurement, Development and progression, Inflammation, Endothelium, Cytokines, HTLV-I (Virus)

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High prevalence of Sjogren's syndrome in patients with HTLV-I associated myelopathy

Article Abstract:

Evidence suggests that the human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) may be involved in the development of Sjogren's syndrome (SS). Characteristic signs of SS disease were compared among 10 patients with documented HTLV-I associated myelopathy (HAM), 20 patients with SS but negative for HTLV-I, and 20 patients with SS and positive for HTLV-I. Doctors determined that six of the 10 patients with HAM also had SS and two more likely had SS. SS characteristics were not significantly different between the three patient populations.

Complications and side effects, Risk factors, Sjogren's syndrome, HTLV-I infections

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