Antilactoferrin autoantibodies associated with HIV infection.
Sera from 85 HIV-infected patients were tested for the presence of antilactoferrin antibodies (anti-LF Abs) by specific ELISA. Fifty-seven sera were found positive, including sera from asymptomatic (18/28, 64.3%, mean O.D.: 0.27 +/- 0.05) and symptomatic patients (39/57, 68.4%, mean O.D.: 0.82 +/- 0.15). In the control group, only one out of 26 normal donors show any reactivity (mean O.D.: 0.06 +/- 0.01). None of the tested patients had clinical evidence of vasculitis, the previous reported antilactoferrin-associated pathology and if, in both groups, a similar frequency of anti-LF Abs was found, the autoantibody level was significantly higher among the symptomatic patients (p < 0.01). However, correlation was found neither with polymorphonuclear cell counts nor with the level of circulating lactoferrin. The characterization and the clinical significance of the autoantibodies are under investigation.
Defer
M C
MC
INSERM U. 313, CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
Follézou
J Y
JY
Picard
O
O
Damais
C
C
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007781:Lactoferrin