| abstract |
It has been discovered that one of the causes of human rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune reaction to human glucose-6-phosphate isomerase. While human glucose-6-phosphate isomerase is a normal constituent of living tissue, and the underlying reasons for the autoimmune reaction are not understood, this discovery enables effective treatment of the disease, especially when the human immune reaction is the primary cause of the rheumatoid arthritis. The human antibody, anti-glucose-6-phosphate isomerase IgG, can be used to develop immunopolypeptides having binding capacity with the antigen. Antibodies and antibody fragments to the antiglucose-6-phosphate isomerase IgG, antisense oligonucleotides, conjugates of human GPI with cytotoxic agents, immobilized human GPI may be used to ameliorate or eliminate the immune reaction. The peptide, nucleotide products as well as methods of diagnosis and treatment are provided. |