Alpha-enolase is a renal-specific antigen associated with kidney involvement in mixed cryoglobulinemia.
OBJECTIVE
To study the specificity of antibodies reactive with renal antigens in mixed cryoglobulinemia.


METHODS
Sera from mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) patients were tested on human kidney extracts by immunoblot. A partially purified renal antigen was subjected to N-terminal sequencing.


RESULTS
Antibodies reactive with a renal antigen of 48 kD were detected in 7 out of 11 patients with MC and renal involvement. N-terminal sequencing of this antigen showed that it was identical with alpha-enolase. This result was confirmed by the reactivity of the renal antigen with a rabbit anti-serum specific for alpha-enolase.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that antibodies specific for alpha-enolase are frequently produced by mixed cryoglobulinemia patients with renal involvement.
Sabbatini
A
A
Clinical Immunology Unit, University of Pisa, Italy.
Dolcher
M P
MP
Marchini
B
B
Chimenti
D
D
Moscato
S
S
Pratesi
F
F
Bombardieri
S
S
Migliorini
P
P
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007672:Kidney Cortex / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009393:Nephritis / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D010751:Phosphopyruvate Hydratase