Abstract
THE possibility that genetic factors determine susceptibility to rheumatic fever following infection with Group A streptococci was suggested by epidemiological and family studies1. However, with the exception of a slightly increased frequency of Lewis group secretors2, the identification of a genetic marker in the patient group has been unsuccessful. In particular, the distribution of HLA-A and B allotypes did not reveal any consistent difference from controls3–5. We report here that a novel B-cell alloantigen has been found at a significantly increased frequency among patients with rheumatic fever, providing further evidence for the value of B-cell alloantisera as reagents for the demonstration of disease associations with genetic determinants relevant to the immune system. This alloantigen was of particular interest because it was not found to be associated with any recognised HLA-D locus determinant.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Taranta, A., Torosday, S., Matrakos, J. D., Jefier, W. & Uchida, I. Circulation 20, 778 (1959).
Glynn, L. E. & Holborow, E. J. Arthritis Rheum. 4, 203–207 (1961).
Falk, J. A., Fleischman, J. L., Zabriskie, J. B. & Falk, R. E. Tissue Antigens 3, 173–178 (1973).
Read, S. E., Poon-King, T., Reid, H. F. M. & Zabriskie, J. B. Streptococcal Disease and the Immune Response (Academic, New York, in the press).
Murray, G. C. Montiel, M. M. & Persellin, R. H., Arthritis Rheum. 21, 652–56 (1978).
Winchester, R. J. et al. J. exp. Med. 141, 924–929 (1975).
Jones, E. A., Goodfellow, P. J., Bodmer, J. G. & Bodmer, W. F. Nature 256, 650–652 (1975).
Winchester, R. J., Ebers, G., Fu, S. M., Espinosa, L., Zabriskie, J. & Kunkel, H. G. Lancet ii, 814 (1975).
Gibofsky, A., Winchester, R. J., Patarroyo, M. E., Fotino, M. & Kunkel, H. G. J. exp. Med. (in the press).
Winchester, R. J. et al. Leukocyte Membrane Determinants Regulating Immune Reactivity 485–490 (Academic, New York, 1978).
Woolf, B., Ann. Hum. Genet. 19, 251–253 (1955).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
PATARROYO, M., WINCHESTER, R., VEJERANO, A. et al. Association of a B-cell alloantigen with susceptibility to rheumatic fever. Nature 278, 173–174 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/278173a0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/278173a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Acute rheumatic fever and streptococci: the quintessential pathogenic trigger of autoimmunity
Clinical Rheumatology (2014)
-
Immunogenic and genetic factors in rheumatic fever
Current Infectious Disease Reports (2000)
-
Mitral regurgitation may be related with previous streptococcal infection
European Journal of Pediatrics (1996)
-
Rheumatic Heart Disease
Clinical Immunotherapeutics (1995)
-
Immunological Aspects of Cardiovascular Diseases
Clinical Immunotherapeutics (1994)