title: Antibodies to tubulin and microtubule-associated proteins. A study in diabetes mellitus, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: We report the results of a study of serum antibodies to proteins of the nerve cytoskeleton in patients with Type I and Type II diabetes mellitus, both with and without clinical signs of diabetic neuropathy. In contrast to previous reports, elevated levels of antibody to tubulin or glycated tubulin were not associated with either diabetes or diabetes with related neuropathy. Similarly, clinical evidence of neuropathy in patients with diabetes did not relate to increased levels of antibody to native or glycated microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs). The levels of antibody to MAPs and glycated MAPs were higher in control subjects over the age of 45 years compared with younger control subjects. Increased levels of antibody to tubulin and glycated tubulin were found in the sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, but not rheumatoid arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, University of Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Cullum
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: I F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Casson
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: McLean
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000276:immunology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000276:immunology; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012016:Reference Values; D014404:Tubulin / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D014404:Tubulin