The goal of our research is to understand the molecular basis for the association of the rheumatic disease ankylosing spondylitis with the major histocompatibility allele HLA-B27. This MHC class I allele is found in 7% of the U.S. population, but in over 90% of individuals with ankylosing spondylitis. Of individuals with B27, it is estimated that up to 13% will develop ankylosing spondylitis or a related form of spondyloarthritis. Our efforts largely involve the study of rats transgenic for HLA-B27 and its light chain, human beta-2-microglobulin. The rats spontaneously arthritis and spondylitis that in many ways mimics the spectrum of the human spondyloarthitis. We have used a variety of cellular, genetic, biochemical, and microbiological approaches to try to understand the role of the B27 molecule in the pathogenesis of this experimental disorder.
We are also participating in clinical research on spondyloarthritis through a network of cooperating VA medical centers. Our laboratory serves as the repository for biological samples from the spondyloarthritis patients entered into to central registry of this cooperative program.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Role of HLA-B27 in Spondyloarthritis
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Tran T, Satumtira N, Dorris ML, May E, Wang A, Furuta E, Taurog JD, "HLA-B27 in transgenic rats forms disulfide-linked heavy chain oligomers and multimers that bind to the chaperone BiP" Journal of Immunology, 172:5110-5119, 2004
Tran TM, Dorris ML, Satumtira N, Richardson JA, Hammer RE, Shang J, Taurog JD, "Additional human beta-2-microglobulin curbs HLA-B27 misfolding and promotes arthritis and spondylitis without colitis in male HLA-B27-transgenic rats" Arthritis & Rheumatism, 54:1317-1327, 2006
Taurog JD, "The mystery of HLA-B27: if it isn’t one thing, it’s another (editorial)" Arthritis & Rheumatism, 56:2478-81, 2007
Fert I, Glatigny S, Poulain C, Satumtira N, Dorris ML, Taurog JD, Breban M, "Dendritic cell functional defect correlates with spondyloarthritis phenotypes in HLA-B27/human beta-2-microglobulin transgenic rat lines" Arthritis & Rheumatism, 56 (11):in press, November 2008
SIGNIFICANT PUBLICATIONS
Taurog JD, et al., "Inflammatory disease in HLA-B27 transgenic rats" Immunological Reviews, 169:209-223, 1999
Hammer RE, Maika SD, Richardson JA, Tang J-P, Taurog JD, "Spontaneous inflammatory disease in transgenic rats expressing HLA-B27 and human beta2-m: an animal model of HLA-B27-associated human disorders" Cell, 63:1099-1112, 1990
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