title: Individual variation in the isotype profile of anti-histone autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Using a solid-phase radioimmunoassay we have measured levels of anti-histone autoantibodies of the IgG, IgA and IgM heavy chain classes in 40 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Twenty-two patients (55%) had significantly elevated levels of at least one anti-histone isotype. Our results reveal four characteristics of the anti-histone response. (1) There is wide variation between patients in the isotype profile of anti-histone antibodies and these isotype profiles are a consistent individual characteristic. (2) There is no significant correlation between the level of IgG, IgA and IgM anti-histone in individual patients and a marked tendency for a single isotype (either IgG, IgA or IgM) to predominate in any one patient. (3) IgG anti-histone antibodies are predominantly of the IgG1 subclass. (4) Among 12 patients tested, IgG and IgA antibodies showed a preference for histones 1 and 2B whereas IgM antibodies showed no consistent preference for individual histones.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Birmingham Medical School, UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fellows
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gittoes
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Coppock
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wainwright
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goodall
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification*; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D005260:Female; D006657:Histones / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000145:classification; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000032:analysis*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D006657:Histones; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D007075:Immunoglobulin M