Similar frequency of autoantibodies against 70-kD class heat-shock proteins in healthy subjects and systemic lupus erythematosus patients.
Stress or heat-shock proteins may be involved in the initiation and perpetuation of autoimmune diseases. In order to investigate a possible role of autoantibodies against the 70-kD family of heat-shock proteins in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), sera of SLE patients and healthy subjects were tested for the presence of IgG and IgM antibodies to 70-kD class proteins. These proteins were purified by affinity chromatography on ATP-agarose and used in Western blotting studies. The data obtained revealed that antibodies to the 72-kD and the 73-kD heat-shock proteins occurred with similar frequencies both in healthy subjects and SLE patients. Thus, approximately 20% of the sera in each group contained IgG antibodies, and IgM antibodies were detected in about 30% of the sera tested. Moreover, in SLE patients no association between the occurrence and titre of these antibodies and disease activity was found. These data suggest that antibodies to the 70-kD class heat-shock proteins are naturally occurring and argue therefore against an involvement of these antibodies in the pathogenesis of SLE.
Kindås-Mügge
I
I
Institute of Tumorbiology-Cancer Research, University of Vienna, Austria.
Steiner
G
G
Smolen
J S
JS
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M