Target antibodies were isolated from RA patient plasma (polyclonal ACPA- and non-ACPA-IgG) or recombinantly produced to obtain monoclonal IgG with well-defined Fc galactose content.
In this study, the relationships between RANKL and ACPA, anti-carbamylated protein antibodies (anti-CarP), cytokines and chemokines were analysed in individuals before the onset of RA symptoms, and their associations with radiological findings at disease onset were assessed.
A total of 924 ACPA-positive RA patients with joint damage in hands and/or feet, and 1524 healthy controls were genotyped in 582 591 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the discovery phase.