In seroconverted rheumatoid arthritis patients a multi-reactive anti-herpes IgM profile is associated with disease activity

Regina Larionova (1) , Marina Arleevskaya (1) , Olga Kravtsova (2) , Shamil Validov (3) , Yves Renaudineau (4, 5)

1 KSMU - Kazan State Medical University
2 Department of Biochemi and Biotechnology Kazan
3 Institute fo Fundamental Medicine and Biology
4 EA2216 - Immunologie et Pathologie
5 LBAI - Lymphocytes B, Autoimmunité et Immunothérapies

Conflicting results have been reported regarding human herpes virus (HHV) reactivation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To explore this link, 74 RA patients were selected and compared to 42 first degree relatives (FDR) from probands with RA and 25 healthy controls from the Tatarstan women cohort. The serological analysis was done by testing anti-HSV/CMV/EBV IgM, IgG, plus the IgG avidity index, and completed by evaluating HSV/CMV/EBV DNA by PCR. Results from these analyses reveal: (i) a long lasting infection of HHV in RA, FDR and healthy controls (IgG seroconversion >97%); (ii) an elevated IgM anti-HHV response in seroconverted RA patients which is related to HSV1/2 reactivation (HSV1/2 PCR+); and (iii) a multi-reactive IgM HHV burden profile associated with disease activity (DAS28). In conclusion, HSV1/2 reactivation in seroconverted RA patients is associated with an abnormal anti-HHV immune response, which was reflected in IgM HHV burden, and in activity disease profile.

Mots clés: CMV; Disease activity; EBV; HSV; Reactivation; Rheumatoid arthritis

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

Regina Larionova, Marina Arleevskaya, Olga Kravtsova, Shamil Validov, Yves Renaudineau. In seroconverted rheumatoid arthritis patients a multi-reactive anti-herpes IgM profile is associated with disease activity. Clinical Immunology, 2019, 200, pp.19-23. ⟨10.1016/j.clim.2019.01.004⟩. ⟨hal-01995998⟩