A monoclonal Ro-antibody and the serum of a Ro-positive patient with subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) react with basal layers of human epidermis.
Skin lesions, especially at areas exposed to sunlight, prove to be a major form of manifestation of diseases related to Ro-antibodies and neonatal-, 'ANA-negative-', and cutaneous types of lupus erythematosus. A monoclonal Ro-antibody established by our group reacts with a 60 kD polypeptide in extracts from human spleen, whereas in extracts from human epidermis the monoclonal Ro-antibody and a purified Ro-antibody from a monospecific serum of a patient with subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus reacted with a 60 kD and a 48 kD protein. Performing immunofluorescence microscopy on HEp2-cells both antibodies showed a nuclear speckled staining pattern and a reaction with cytokeratin filaments. On skin biopsies obtained from the patient, predominantly the basal layers of the proliferative stratum germinativum demonstrated a high rate of immunofluorescence; antigen-expression seems to depend on sunlight exposure. From these data we assume that, especially in subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus, cross-reaction of the Ro-antibody with one of the lower molecular keratins happens in that area of human epidermis which histologically shows cellular destruction.
Mayet
W J
WJ
I. Medizinische Klink, Universität Mainz, FRG.
Bachmann
M
M
Pfeifer
K
K
Schröder
H C
HC
Müller
W E
WE
Gudat
W
W
Korting
G W
GW
Meyer zum Büschenfelde
K H
KH
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004817:Epidermis / Q000276:immunology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008178:Lupus Erythematosus, Cutaneous / Q000276:immunology*
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; C035356:SS-A antibodies