Autoantibodies to the epidermal growth factor receptor in systemic sclerosis, lupus, and autoimmune mice.
Autoantibodies to the recombinant extracellular domain of epidermal growth factor receptor (exEGFR) were detected by ELISA in the serum of Fas-defective old MRL/MpJ/lpr and C3H/HeJ/gld mice, but not young mice from these strains, or nonautoimmune young and old BALB/c, MRL/MpJ/++, and C3H/HeJ/MMTV mice. Compared with control human subjects without autoimmune disease, the frequency of exEGFR-binding autoantibodies was increased in scleroderma (systemic sclerosis) patients and to a lesser extent in lupus patients. Phage autoantibodies (Fv fragments) isolated from a lupus library by selection on a linear epitope of EGFR (residues 294-310) displayed the ability to bind exEGFR. Treatment of EGFR-expressing A431 cells with autoantibodies purified by affinity chromatography on immobilized exEGFR resulted in specific staining of the cells. Short-lived but strong inhibition of cellular DNA synthesis was observed in the presence of the autoantibodies. We concluded that autoantibody responses to EGFR hold the potential of fulfilling a pathogenic role in autoimmune disease.
Planque
Stephanie
S
Chemical Immunology and Therapeutics Research Center, Department of Pathology and Internal Medicine, University of Texas-Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
Zhou
Yong-Xin
YX
Nishiyama
Yasuhiro
Y
Sinha
Meenal
M
O'Connor-Mccourt
Maureen
M
Arnett
Frank C
FC
Paul
Sudhir
S
D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D008177:Lupus Vulgaris / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D011485:Protein Binding; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007128:Immunoglobulin Fragments; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C055966:immunoglobulin Fv; D004247:DNA; D066246:ErbB Receptors