Type II collagen arthritis: Identification of arthritogenic epitopes using fractionated anticollagen IgG

Affinity-purified anticollagen IgG was fractionated on purified cyanogen bromide-derived collagen peptide Sepharose. The antibody fraction bound to the peptides was eluted and tested for its ability to induce passive arthritis in recipients. Anticollagen IgG bound to peptide 5 ( α 1( II)-CB 8–10 and α 1( II)CB 11−8) and to peptide 6 ( α 1( II)CB 11) were active in inducing passive arthritis. Other peptide bound fractions were inactive. These observations suggest that the arthritogenic domain in Type II collagen is restricted to α 1( II)CB 11.