USE OF MYELIN BASIC PROTEIN AS A NOVEL GENETIC FACTOR FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

摘要

A novel genetic factor for rheumatoid arthritis is searched for and used as a diagnostic marker. A method of testing for rheumatoid arthritis, comprising detecting an autoantibody to myelin basic protein in a biological sample from a subject. A test kit for rheumatoid arthritis, comprising myelin basic protein. A diagnostic marker for rheumatoid arthritis, comprising an antibody to myelin basic protein. A method of judging the risk to develop rheumatoid arthritis, comprising identifying the single nucleotide polymorphism of a nucleotide present in the myelin basic protein gene of a subject or identifying the single nucleotide polymorphism of a nucleotide that is in linkage disequilibrium with the first mentioned nucleotide. A kit for judging the risk to develop rheumatoid arthritis, comprising nucleic acid probes and/or nucleic acid primers capable of detecting the single nucleotide polymorphism of a nucleotide present in the myelin basic protein gene of a subject or the single nucleotide polymorphism of a nucleotide that is in linkage disequilibrium with the first mentioned nucleotide. A method of screening for a substance effective as a prophylactic and/or therapeutic for rheumatoid arthritis, comprising adding a test substance to a myelin basic protein gene-expressing cell and then determining the expression level of the myelin basic protein gene or the gene product thereof.