Development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, using a monoclonal antibody against alpha2-macroglobulin, for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
To develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a monoclonal antibody (mab) directed against abnormally glycosylated serum alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2-M) from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).


METHODS
Serum alpha2-M purified by HPLC from patients with SLE was injected in a Balb/c, CB6 F1 female mouse and hybrid cell lines were screened using alpha2-M Glu-C fragments derived from SLE and normal donors (NHS). A mab was selected and used to develop an ELISA by which sera from NHS (n = 14), SLE (n = 34), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 15), Sjögren's syndrome (n = 11), mixed connective tissue diseases (n = 12), and liver diseases (n = 11) were analyzed.


RESULTS
The affinity of the mab for alpha2-M from SLE, but not from the other diseases, was higher compared to NHS, as demonstrated by immunoblotting and ELISA.


CONCLUSIONS
The ELISA was capable of recognizing changes of glycosylation of alpha2-M in SLE and may be useful for its differential diagnosis.
Cazzolla
N
N
The Population Council, New York, New York 10021, USA.
Saso
L
L
Grima
J
J
Leone
M G
MG
Grippa
E
E
Cheng
C Y
CY
Silvestrini
B
B
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006031:Glycosylation; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000379:methods; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology
D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015415:Biomarkers; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins