Citrullinated Collagen Type II Antibody (Clone ACC-1)

The citrullination of proteins is a post-translational modification where peptidyl arginine residues are converted to peptidyl citrulline by a family of enzymes called peptidyl arginine deiminases (PADs). Citrullination can be found in multiple tissue types and has been shown to occur in both human and mouse inflamed joints (1,2, 3). Proteins are susceptible to citrullination during inflammatory processes and an autoantibody response to citrullinated proteins is a hallmark of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Antibodies against citrullinated proteins (ACPAs) can be found in 50-70% of all RA patients and have a high diagnostic value as a biomarker for detecting RA early (4,5). Current research is focused on understanding the detailed mechanisms causing direct inflammation of the joints and the self-perpetuating behavior of RA, via the recognition of post-translation modifications such as citrullination by T and B cells.