Antibodies against polypeptides of purified Epstein-Barr virus in sera from patients with connective tissue diseases.
Antibodies to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were investigated in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) by immunoblotting using purified virus. Compared with sera from Epstein-Barr virus seropositive healthy individuals who served as control, sera from patients less frequently recognized several polypeptides. In particular, a 100 kDa envelope polypeptide was recognized by 92% of healthy subjects and only 11% of patients (P less than 0.001). On the other hand, 62% of the patient sera had antibodies to the 42 kDa envelope polypeptide, whereas these antibodies were only present in 4% of the sera from the control subjects (P less than 0.001). These results could reflect either perturbations of the immune response associated with connective tissue disorders or a possible pathogenic role of EBV.
Ngou
J
J
INSERM U 249, Montpellier, France.
Graafland
H
H
Segondy
M
M
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D008947:Mixed Connective Tissue Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000276:immunology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; C041788:Epstein-Barr viral capsid antigen; D010455:Peptides; D014764:Viral Proteins