title: Immune response to different sequences of the EBNA I molecule in Epstein-Barr virus-related disorders and in autoimmune diseases.
abstract: Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is associated with production of autoantibodies. The N-terminal 35-58 sequence of EBNA I, one of the nuclear antigens encoded by EBV, is highly homologous to the C-terminal 95-119 region of the ribonucleoprotein SmD. Autoantibodies specific for SmD are present only in systemic lupus (SLE) sera and are therefore considered a serological marker of SLE. We measured antibodies to the EBNA I 35-58 sequence in EBV-related diseases and in autoimmune disorders. Antibodies to the EBNA I 35-58 peptide were present in 30% of normal sera, 12% Burkitt lymphoma, 22% infectious mononucleosis, 25% rheumatoid arthritis, 38% SLE and 33% Sjogren's syndrome. Antibodies to the SmD 95-119 peptide were detectable in 32% of SLE sera, 17% infectious mononucleosis and 12% Burkitt lymphoma. The specificity of anti-EBNA I 35-58 antibodies affinity-purified from nine sera was analysed by means of an inhibition assay. Only anti-EBNA I 35-58 antibodies affinity-purified from SLE sera have a similar affinity for the viral peptide and the SmD C-terminal one; they also bind the recombinant SmD in western blot. The results indicate that antibodies to EBNA I 35-58 are produced in normals, in EBV-related diseases and in autoimmune disorder, but only SLE sera contain anti-viral antibodies cross-reactive with an autoantigen.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Immunology Unit, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marchini
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dolcher
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sabbatini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Migliorini
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000276:immunology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D017411:Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D055517:snRNP Core Proteins
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D001324:Autoantigens; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D019309:Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D017411:Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear; D055517:snRNP Core Proteins