Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have decreased numbers of CR1 per erythrocyte and decreased binding of immune complexes to erythrocytes. Overall erythrocyte immune complex binding activity depends on both the number and the binding kinetics of CR1 3 ). We measured kinetic parameters for the interaction between a complement-containing dsDNA: anti-dsDNA probe and erythrocytes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and normal controls. The results indicate that: ! ) This research was supported

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... the Minnesota Chapter of CR1, erythrocyte receptor for C3b component of complethe Arthritis Foundation. ment; 2 ) Presented in part at the American Rheumatism Association E aa , energy of activation for association; Meeting, Houston, Texas, June 1988. E ad , energy of activation for dissociation; 3 ) Abbreviations used in this paper: k a , association rate constant; B, amount of DNA:antiDNA:C immune complex per eryth-k d , dissociation rate constant; rocyte K,*, steady state constant; S, amount of immune complexes bound per erythrocyte.