Bronchiectasis Is a Model for Chronic Bacterial Infection Inducing Autoimmunity in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Bronchiectasis is an unusual but potent model for the induction of autoimmunity in RA by bacterial infection in the lung. Our study suggests that the ACPA response is not citrulline specific during the early stages of tolerance breakdown but becomes more specific in patients with BR in whom BR/RA develops.