title: Autoantibodies to cryptic epitopes of C-reactive protein and other acute phase proteins in the toxic oil syndrome.
abstract: Toxic oil syndrome (TOS) was caused by the consumption of rapeseed oil contaminated with derivatives of aniline. Many persons who survived the acute phase developed a puzzling, multi-year chronic disease considered to be inflammatory or autoimmune in nature. In attempting to characterize their autoantibodies, we found that 74% of TOS patients with chronic disease had IgG antibodies to C-reactive protein (CRP). This activity was detectable only when CRP was chemically or physically denatured and behaved like a previously described antibody produced by immunization with the CRP monomer. Significant antibody reactivities to other acute phase proteins, especially alpha 1-antitrypsin and fibrinogen (P < 0.025) and ceruloplasmin (P < 0.05) were also observed. IgG antibodies to cryptic epitopes in CRP and other major serum proteins that increase during the acute phase response may reflect an earlier toxin-mediated insult to the liver that included abnormal biosynthesis of and/or damage to acute phase proteins.
authors.affiliation: W.M. Keck Autoimmune Disease Center, Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Du Clos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Khursigara
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Picazo
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Rubin
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D000814:Aniline Compounds / Q000506:poisoning; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D001937:Brassica; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000276:immunology*; D002570:Ceruloplasmin / Q000276:immunology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003429:Cross Reactions; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000276:immunology; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D000074262:Rapeseed Oil; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000814:Aniline Compounds; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D000939:Epitopes; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D010938:Plant Oils; D000074262:Rapeseed Oil; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002570:Ceruloplasmin; C023650:aniline