Rheumatoid factors may bear the internal image of the Fc gamma-binding protein of herpes simplex virus type 1.
Affinity-purified rheumatoid factors (RF) from 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were tested for their reactivity with the mAb II-481 against glycoprotein E (gE), the Fc gamma-binding protein of HSV-1, as well as with a panel of mAb against human Fc gamma R. All RF bound to mAb II-481 in preference to mAb IV.3 (anti-human Fc gamma RII) or MOPC 141 (control mAb) which belong to the same IgG2b subclass. Five RF showed strong reactivity with II-481. No significant reactivity was observed between RF and mAb against human Fc gamma R. Non-RF human IgM did not react with any of the mAb. Clear-cut binding to II-481 was also seen with monoclonal IgM-RF derived from MRL/1 mice (mRF-2). The reaction between RF and II-481 was completely inhibited by human IgG. It was also inhibited by BHK cell extract infected with HSV-1, and with purified gE. II-481 inhibited the binding of human IgG Fc to the infected cell extract, confirming that II-481 recognizes the Fc-binding site on gE. II-481 did not react directly with human IgG or Fc of IgG. mAb to human IgG2 showed stronger binding to II-481 than to MOPC 141, suggesting II-481 has conformational similarity to human IgG H chain. These results suggest that at least some RF bear the "internal image" of HSV-1 Fc gamma-binding protein and support the hypothesis that some RF may be generated as anti-idiotype antibodies against antiviral antibodies.
Tsuchiya
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N
Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610.
Williams
R C
RC
Hutt-Fletcher
L M
LM
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D011485:Protein Binding; D011961:Receptors, Fc / Q000276:immunology; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000276:immunology*; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000943:Antigens, Differentiation; D007141:Immunoglobulin Fc Fragments; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011961:Receptors, Fc; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C044768:glycoprotein E, herpes simplex virus type 1; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor