Analysis of epitope spreading over an eleven-year period in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.
During a period of more than eleven years serum samples of a patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus were collected and analyzed for anti-nuclear autoantibodies. High titer of anti-La/SS-B were detectable in all serum samples. The La/SS-B epitopes remained constant. Besides anti-La/SS-B antibodies all serum samples contained traces of anti-Ro/SS-A including anti-Ro52 and anti-Ro60 antibodies. During disease flares anti-Ro/SS A antibodies were upregulated and anti-dsDNA antibodies appeared, thus supporting the concept of an antigen driven intermolecular epitope spreading to Ro/SS-A and dsDNA.
Orth
T
T
I. Department of Internal Medicine, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany.
Mayet
W J
WJ
Deister
H
H
Chang
S
S
Schmitz
M
M
Bachmann
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D000939:Epitopes; C035356:SS-A antibodies; C035357:SS-B antibodies