EFFECT OF PREGNANCY ON PROTEOGLYCAN-INDUCED PROGRESSIVE POLYARTHRITISIN BALB C MICE - REMISSION OF DISEASE-ACTIVITY/

Proteoglycan-induced arthritis is a murine autoimmune model displaying many similarities to human rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondy litis, as has been documented by clinical, immunological and histopath ological studies. Since the onset of arthritis correlates with the ser um antibody level to mouse cartilage proteoglycan (PG), it is believed that these autoreactive antibodies may play crucial roles in the path ological mechanisms of PG-induced arthritis. We have found that fertil ity in these PG-induced arthritic mice had been reduced but, unlike co llagen-induced arthritis, had not been completely lost. Moreover, preg nancy had a beneficial effect upon the clinical symptoms with very lit tle or no influence on serum antibody levels. Although fertility was r etained and arthritic mothers delivered healthy offspring, the birth f requency was significantly less than in non-arthritic age-matched cont rols. Furthermore, the presence of anti-PG autoantibodies (predominant ly IgG1 subclass) transmitted from arthritic mothers to infants transp lacentally and by milk during the lactation period did not render thes e offspring either resistant or more sensitive to subsequent induction of arthritis. Subsequent immunization of infants with 'arthritogenic' PG revealed an unaltered susceptibility to arthritis induction.