MYCOPLASMA-INFECTION AND RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS - ANALYSIS OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP USING IMMUNOBLOTTING AND AN ULTRASENSITIVE POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION DETECTION METHOD

Objective. To examine the relationship between infection with Mycoplas ma and the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and juvenile rheum atoid arthritis (JRA). Methods. Immunoblotting of patient synovial flu id and sera on detergent-phase membrane protein extracts of various My coplasma species was carried out to learn whether patients exhibited s erologic evidence of previous exposure to mycoplasmas. Moreover, an ul trasensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed for assessing whether Mycoplasma DNA could be detected in synovial fluid f rom patients and controls. Results. Immunoblotting provided serologic evidence of previous Mycoplasma exposure in patients and controls. The genus-specific PCR detected known human Mycoplasma species and could reliably detect <5 copies of Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma fermentans , or a molecular mimic control in synovial fluid. Repeat testing revea led no evidence of Mycoplasma DNA in patient synovial samples. Conclus ion. This study provided serologic evidence suggesting that, while pre vious exposure to Mycoplasma was common, there was no detectable persi stence of Mycoplasma DNA in the synovial fluid or tissue of patients w ith RA or JRA.