Occurrence of antibodies to protease-treated histones in a patient with vasculitis.
We describe the presence of IgG antibodies reacting with histones previously treated with proteases in a patient with vasculitis. The patient's serum did not react with nontreated histones and when several enzymes were tested separately, only alpha-chymotrypsin reproduced the effect. Reactivity was directed against histone fraction H2B and no other autoantibody was found in the patient's serum. This could represent an autoantigen-driven response, histones hydrolyzed in vivo with proteases being the immunogenic stimulus. Diagnostic and pathogenic implications derived from the existence of such autoantibodies are discussed.
Caturla
A
A
Department of Immunology, Hospital Universitario San Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
Colome
J A
JA
Bustos
A
A
Chamorro
M J
MJ
Figueredo
M A
MA
Subiza
J L
JL
de la Concha
E G
EG
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006657:Histones / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D006657:Histones; D010450:Endopeptidases