Elsevier

Journal of Autoimmunity

Volume 4, Issue 5, October 1991, Pages 779-794
Journal of Autoimmunity

Changes in IgG glycoform levels are associated with remission of arthritis during pregnancy

https://doi.org/10.1016/0896-8411(91)90173-AGet rights and content

Abstract

It was found that the percentage of IgG-associated agalactosyl N-linked oligosaccharides (G0) falls during normal human pregnancy and rises to values higher than before conception following delivery (n = 10, 39–55 days after delivery). Serial bleeds from a normal pregnant woman showed a fall in the percentage G0 during gestation and a rapid rise post-partum. A similar study on a pregnant arthritic woman with a pathologically elevated percentage G0 also showed a fall in percentage G0 during pregnancy and a rapid rise post-partum. The changes in IgG glycosylation in the pregnant arthritic woman occurred simultaneously with the pregnancy-induced remission and post-partum recurrence of disease. A further seven pregnant women with rheumatoid arthritis were studied and analysis of their G0 values pre- and post-partum confirmed the result.

In a further series of experiments using an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis, DBA1 mice with collagen-induced arthritis were found to have elevated G0 levels compared with control mice. The percentage G0 was found to fall simultaneously with pregnancy-induced remission to the same value as non-arthritic pregnant mice. Post-partum recurrence of arthritis in these mice was also accompanied by a simultaneous and rapid rise in percentage G0. Pseudopregnancy did not result in a change in the percentage G0, confirming the effect of true pregnancy.

Since the proportion of agalactosyl IgG is abnormally high in the serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis these changes in IgG glycoform levels, or the factors which control them, may be related to the mechanisms underlying remission of arthritis in humans during pregnancy.

References (42)

  • R.H. Persellin

    The effect of pregnancy on rheumatoid arthritis

    Bull. Rheum. Dis.

    (1976)
  • R.H. Persellin

    Leukocyte sensitization against synovial components in rheumatoid arthritis: blocking by pregnancy serum

    Int. Archs Allergy Appl. Immun.

    (1984)
  • R.B. Parekh et al.

    Association of rheumatoid arthritis and primary osteoarthritis with changes in the glycosylation pattern of total serum IgG

    Nature

    (1985)
  • T.W. Rademacher et al.

    The role of IgG glycoforms in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis

  • T.W. Rademacher et al.

    The role of oligosaccharides in modifying protein function

  • T.W. Rademacher et al.

    Glycobiology

    Ann. Rev. Biochem.

    (1988)
  • J.M. Pekelharing et al.

    Alterations in carbohydrate composition of serum IgG from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and from pregnant women

    Ann. Rheum. Dis.

    (1988)
  • F.C. Arnett et al.

    The American Rheumatism Association 1987. Revised criteria for the classification of rheumatoid arthritis

    Arthritis Rheum.

    (1988)
  • R.B. Parekh et al.

    Age-related galactosylation of N-linked oligosaccharides of human serum IgG

    J. Exp. Med.

    (1988)
  • G.A.W. Rook et al.

    A monoclonal antibody raised by immunising mice with Group A streptococci binds to agalactosyl IgG from rheumatoid arthritis

    Ann. Rheum. Dis.

    (1988)
  • E. Filley et al.

    A transient rise in agalactosyl IgG correlating with free IL-2 receptors during episodes of erythema nodosum leprosum

    Clin. & Exp. Immunol.

    (1989)
  • Cited by (194)

    • Autoimmune pre-disease

      2023, Autoimmunity Reviews
    • Harnessing IgG Fc glycosylation for clinical benefit

      2022, Current Opinion in Immunology
    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text