Regulatory effects of autoantibody IgG on osteoclastogenesis

Inflammatory arthritis is common in both systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and eventually leads to bone homeostasis disorders. However, RA patients generally have severe bone destruction, which is rare in SLE patients. Recent studies have demonstrated that anti-citrullinated protein antibodies are important factors leading to bone destruction in RA. On the other hand, SLE patients present deposition of autoantibodies in the joints, which plays an important role in bone protection. These different phenomena occur because of the effects of the autoantibodies on the monocytes/macrophages during osteoclastogenesis, and the mechanisms underlying these effects differ between SLE and RA patients.