The Linkage Between Ecotoxins Within Maximum Permissible Concentrations, Oxidative Stress and Antibodies Against Cyclic Citrullinated Peptides in Patients and Persons at Preclinic Stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Environmental factors are suspected of triggering rheumatoid arthritis (RA). One such factor is oxidative stress (OS), which is a step in ecotoxin detoxification and a damaging factor. The linkage of ecotoxin-triggered OS with clinical and laboratory RA indices in patients and individuals at the pre-RA stage was studied in patients with early (e) (n = 35) and advanced (a) stages of RA (n = 25) and individuals at pre-RA stages (FDR-First-Degree Relative(s), pre-RA, n = 72) in comparison with 52 healthy individuals without autoimmune and immunoinflammatory diseases in their family history (Controls). Ecotoxins within permissible concentration limits were associated with serum levels of OS markers in all cohorts, including Controls. Serum oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) levels in pre-RA and eRA cohorts exceeded Control values. Significant differences were found in anti-oxLDL antibody correlations and OS markers. In pre-RA and both RA cohorts, a relationship was found with regards to serum antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptide (ACCP) levels. Thus, ecotoxin-induced OS likely triggers pathogenic mechanisms at the pre-RA stage and RA onset.