PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Søren Jacobsen
AU  - Peter  Garred
AU  - Hans Ole Madsen
AU  - Niels H.H. Heegaard
AU  - Merete Lund Hetland
AU  - Kristian Stengaard-Pedersen
AU  - Peter Junker
AU  - Tine Lottenburger
AU  - Torkel Ellingsen
AU  - Lis Smedegaard Andersen
AU  - Ib Hansen
AU  - Henrik Skjødt
AU  - Jens Kristian  Pedersen
AU  - Ulrik Birk Lauridsen
AU  - Anders J. Svendsen
AU  - Ulrik Tarp
AU  - Jan Pødenphant
AU  - Hanne Lindegaard
AU  - Aage Vestergaard
AU  - Mikkel Østergaard
AU  - Kim Hørslev-Petersen
TI  - Mannose-Binding Lectin Gene Polymorphisms Are Associated with Disease Activity and Physical Disability in Untreated, Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide-Positive Patients with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis
AID  - 10.3899/jrheum.080846
DP  - 2009 Mar 01
TA  - The Journal of Rheumatology
PG  - jrheum.080846
4099  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2009/02/25/jrheum.080846.short
4100  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2009/02/25/jrheum.080846.full
AB  - Objective To study the association between polymorphisms in the mannose-binding lectin gene (MBL2) and disease activity, physical disability, and joint erosions in patients with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Patients with early RA (n = 158) not previously treated with disease modifying antirheumatic drugs, participating in a treatment trial (CIMESTRA study) were examined at inclusion for MBL2 pooled structural genotypes (O/O, A/O, A/A), regulatory MBL2 promoter polymorphism in position –221 (XX, XY,YY), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide 2 antibodies (anti-CCP2), disease activity by Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS28 score), physical disability by Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score, and erosive changes in hands and feet (Sharp-van der Heijde score). Results Eight patients were homozygous MBL2 defective (O/O), 101 belonged to an intermediate group, and 49 were MBL2 high producers (YA/YA). Anti-CCP was present in 93 patients (59%). High scores of disease activity, C-reactive protein-based DAS28 (p = 0.02), and physical disability by HAQ (p = 0.01) were associated with high MBL2 expression genotypes in a gene-dose dependent way, but only in anti-CCP-positive patients. At this early stage of the disease there was no association with erosion score from radiographs. Conclusion The results point to a synovitis-enhancing effect of MBL in anti-CCP-positive RA, whereas such an effect was not demonstrated for joint erosions.