Glycan arrays lead to the discovery of autoimmunogenic activity of SARS-CoV.
Using carbohydrate microarrays, we characterized the carbohydrate binding activity of SARS-CoV neutralizing antibodies elicited by an inactivated SARS-CoV vaccine. In these antibodies, we detected undesired autoantibody reactivity specific for the carbohydrate moieties of an abundant human serum glycoprotein asialo-orosomucoid (ASOR). This observation provides important clues for the selection of specific immunologic probes to examine whether SARS-CoV expresses antigenic structures that mimic the host glycan. We found that lectin PHA-L (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), which is specific for a defined complex carbohydrate of ASOR, stained the SARS-CoV-infected cells specifically and intensively. Taken together, we present immunologic evidence that a carbohydrate structure of SARS-CoV shares antigenic similarity with host glycan complex carbohydrates. The experimental approaches we applied in this study are likely applicable for the identification of immunologic targets of other viral pathogens.
Wang
Denong
D
Columbia Genome Center, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA.
Lu
Jiahai
J
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001212:Asialoglycoproteins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D009961:Orosomucoid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000276:immunology; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D001212:Asialoglycoproteins; D001323:Autoantibodies; D000939:Epitopes; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D009961:Orosomucoid; D011134:Polysaccharides; D015164:Vaccines, Inactivated; D014765:Viral Vaccines; C017030:asialoorosomucoid