IgG4:IgG RNA ratio differentiates active disease from remission in granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a new disease activity marker? A cross-sectional and longitudinal study

• Published in: Arthritis research & therapy Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 43 - 11
• Main Authors: Al-Soudi, A., Doorenspleet, M. E., Esveldt, R. E., Burgemeister, L. T., Hak, A. E., van den Born, B. J. H., Tas, S. W., van Vollenhoven, R. F., Klarenbeek, P. L., de Vries, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 31.01.2019; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic - blood; Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic - immunology; Antigens; Arthritis; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; B-Lymphocytes - metabolism; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Care and treatment; Cloning; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diagnosis; Diagnosis, Differential; Disease activity; Female; Granulomatosis with polyangiitis; Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis - diagnosis; Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis - genetics; Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis - immunology; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin G - genetics; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Immunoglobulin G4; Immunoglobulins; Inflammatory diseases; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Mortality; Myeloblastin - immunology; Myeloblastin - metabolism; Neutrophils; Observational studies; Pathogenesis; Patients; Plasma Cells - immunology; Plasma Cells - metabolism; Polymerase chain reaction; Quantitative polymerase chain reaction; Remission (Medicine); Remission, Spontaneous; RNA - blood; RNA - genetics; RNA - immunology; Vein & artery diseases; Wegener's granulomatosis; Young Adult; Biomarkers; Granulomatosis with polyangiitis; Immunoglobulin G4; Disease activity; Quantitative polymerase chain reaction

An important limitation in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is the lack of disease activity markers. Immunoglobulin G4-positive (IgG4 ) B cells and plasma cells are implicated in the pathogenesis of GPA. We hypothesized that the presence of these cells in peripheral blood could serve as diseas...