<i>Porphyromonas gingivalis</i> and disease‐related autoantibodies in individuals at increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Immunity to P gingivalis, but not P intermedia or F nucleatum, is significantly associated with the presence of RA-related autoantibodies in individuals at risk of RA. These results support the hypothesis that infection with P gingivalis may play a central role in the early loss of tolerance to self antigens that occurs in the pathogenesis of RA.