Skip to main content

Determination of Rheumatoid Factors by ELISA

  • Protocol
  • First Online:
Autoantibodies

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1901))

Abstract

IgM and IgA autoantibodies binding to IgG are called rheumatoid factors (RFs) and occur with high frequency in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and with lower frequency in other autoimmune diseases. RFs have diagnostic and prognostic value in RA, but they also have a high potential to cause false positive reactions in other immunoassays, especially sandwich assays. For these reasons it is imperative to be able to measure RFs in serum samples from patients suspected of RA or other autoimmune diseases and in serum samples to be analyzed by sandwich immunoassay for various clinical parameters. Here, a simple ELISA for IgM and IgA RFs is described.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Protocol
USD 49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Mageed RA, Børretzen M, Moyes SP, Thompson KM, Natvig JB (1997) Rheumatoid factor autoantibodies in health and disease. Ann N Y Acad Sci 815:296–311

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Dörner T, Egerer K, Feist E, Burmester GR (2004) Rheumatoid factor revisited. Curr Opin Rheumatol 16:246–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Newkirk MM (2002) Rheumatoid factors: host resistance or autoimmunity? Clin Immunol 104:1–13

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Silvestris F, Goodwin JS, Williams RC Jr (1985) IgM, IgA and IgG rheumatoid factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and normal donors. Clin Rheumatol 4:392–398

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Gioud-Paquet M, Auvinet M, Raffin T, Girard P, Bouvier M, Lejeune E, Monier JC (1987) IgM rheumatoid factor (RF), IgA RF, IgE RF, and IgG RF detected by ELISA in rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 46:65–71

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kleveland G, Egeland T, Lea T (1988) Quantitation of rheumatoid factors (RF) of IgM, IgA and IgG isotypes by a simple and sensitive ELISA. Discrimination between false and true IgG-RF. Scand J Rheumatol Suppl 75:15–24

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Waaler E (1940) On the occurrence of a factor in human serum activating the specific agglutination of sheep blood corpuscles. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand 17:172–188

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Johnson PM, Faulk WP (1997) Rheumatoid factor: its nature, specificity and production in rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Immunol Immunopathol 6:414–430

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Päi S, Päi L, Birkenfeldt R (1998) Correlation of serum IgA rheumatoid factor levels with disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis. Scand J Rheumatol 27:252–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Aletaha D, Neogi T, Silman AJ, Funovits J, Felson DT, Bingham CO 3rd (2010) 2010 rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria: an American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism collaborative initiative. Arthritis Rheum 62:2569–2581

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Neogi T, Aletaha D, Silman AJ, Naden RL, Felson DT, Aggarwal R (2010) The 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism classification criteria for rheumatoid arthritis: phase 2 methodological report. Arthritis Rheum 62:2582–2591

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Nikolaisen C, Rekvig OP, Nossent HC (2005) Rheumatoid factor by laser nephelometry and Waaler-Rose assay: prognostic value in patients with recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis. Scand J Rheumatol 34:269–276

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Bampton JL, Cawston TE, Kyle MV, Hazleman BL (1985) Measurement of rheumatoid factors by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and comparison with other methods. Ann Rheum Dis 44:13–19

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Roberts-Thomson PJ, McEvoy R, Langhans T, Bradley J (1985) Routine quantification of rheumatoid factor by rate nephelometry. Ann Rheum Dis 44:379–383

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Finley PR, Hicks MJ, Williams RJ, Hinlicky J, Lichti DA (1979) Rate nephelometric measurement of rheumatoid factor in serum. Clin Chem 25:1909–1914

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Holm BE, Sandhu N, Tronstrøm J, Lydolph M, Trier NH, Houen G (2015) Species cross-reactivity of rheumatoid factors and implications for immunoassays. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 75:51–63

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Bartels EM, Ribel-Madsen S (2013) Cytokine measurements and possible interference from heterophilic antibodies–problems and solutions experienced with rheumatoid factor. Methods 61:18–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Todd DJ, Knowlton N, Amato M, Frank MB, Schur PH, Izmailova ES, Roubenoff R, Shadick NA, Weinblatt ME, Centola M, Lee DM (2011) Erroneous augmentation of multiplex assay measurements in patients with rheumatoid arthritis due to heterophilic binding by serum rheumatoid factor. Arthritis Rheum 63:894–903

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Hennig C, Rink L, Fagin U, Jabs WJ, Kirchner H (2000) The influence of naturally occurring heterophilic anti-immunoglobulin antibodies on direct measurement of serum proteins using sandwich ELISAs. J Immunol Methods 235:71–80

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Levinson SS, Miller JJ (2002) Towards a better understanding of heterophile (and the like) antibody interference with modern immunoassays. Clin Chim Acta 325:1–15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Tate J, Ward G (2004) Interferences in immunoassay. Clin Biochem Rev 25:105–120

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  22. Høier-Madsen M, Nielsen LP, Møller S (1986) Determination of IgM rheumatoid factor by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Dan Med Bull 148:2018–2021

    Google Scholar 

  23. Müller K, Oxholm P, Mier-Madsen M, Wiik A (1989) Circulating IgA- and IgM-rheumatoid factors in patients with primary Sjögren syndrome. Correlation to extraglandular manifestations. Scand J Rheumatol 18:29–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Vejtorp M, Høier-Madsen M, Halberg P (1979) Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for determination of IgM rheumatoid factor. Scand J Rheumatol 8:65–70

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Klein F, Janssens MB (1987) Standardisation of serological tests for rheumatoid factor measurement. Ann Rheum Dis 46:674–680

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Anderson SG, Bentzon MW, Houba V, Krag P (1970) International reference preparation of rheumatoid arthritis serum. Bull World Health Organ 42:311–318

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Güven E, Duus K, Lydolph MC, Jørgensen CS, Laursen I, Houen G (2014) Non-specific binding in solid phase immunoassays for autoantibodies correlates with inflammation markers. J Immunol Methods 403:26–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The Lundbeck Foundation is thanked for a grant to Nicole H. Trier.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicole Hartwig Trier .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

About this protocol

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this protocol

Trier, N.H., Houen, G. (2019). Determination of Rheumatoid Factors by ELISA. In: Houen, G. (eds) Autoantibodies. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1901. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-8949-2_23

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-8949-2_23

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-8948-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-8949-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics