# BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF THE BACTERIAL ARTHRITIS MODEL

> **NIH NIH R01** · ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY · 1989 · $86,765

## Abstract

Over the past two decades numerous studies have demonstrated
that a chronic relapsing remitting model of arthritis in rats can be
induced following a single injection of streptococcal cell walls.
Cardinal features of this model, many of which are similar to the
human disease, are 1) the relapsing remitting nature of the
arthritis 2) a genetic female predisposition 3) T-cell dependency
of the model 4) cellular infiltrates in the synovia of the affected
joints 5) restriction to the distral joints (paws) of the animal 6)
persistence of the antigen in the affected tissues 7) expression of
Ia antigen in the cells and tissues of the affected area.

In spite of these elegant experiments we still know very little
concerning the exact nature and structural properties of the
inducing antigen and how it produces disease.  Thus we plan to
carry out the following experiments.  1) Pursuit of the minimal
size of the inducing antigen and whether it might require carrier
proteins for full expression of the chronic disease.  2) To
determine what are the biochemical features of the antigen that
are important for inducing the model.  3) To determine what
lymphokines are important in inducing the expression of the model.
4) To explore the question of whether or not a newly described M
protein moiety "buried" in the streptococcal cell wall complex
which exhibits a high degree of homology with various collagens
plays a important role in this rat arthritis model.  5) Finally, to
determine whether there is a difference in the cellular reactivity
to the more purified cell wall material and/or the M protein
moiety in Rheumatic Arthritis patients compared to controls.

Hopefully further information gained from this animal model and
a few selected studies in humans will shed light on the
pathogenetic mechanisms involved in the human disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3159091
- **Project number:** 5R01AR039037-02
- **Recipient organization:** ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** LHGDNJMZ64Y1
- **Principal Investigator:** JOHN B ZABRISKIE
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1989
- **Award amount:** $86,765
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1988-02-01 → 1991-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3159091

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3159091, BIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF THE BACTERIAL ARTHRITIS MODEL (5R01AR039037-02). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3159091. Licensed CC0.

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