title: Autoantibodies to a collagen-specific molecular chaperone, heat-shock protein 47, in systemic sclerosis.
abstract: Heat-shock proteins are highly conserved and immunogenic proteins, which may be involved in the initiation and perpetuation of autoimmune diseases. Heat-shock protein 47 (HSP47) is expressed by collagen-secreting cells such as fibroblasts and serves as a collagen-specific molecular chaperone that plays a crucial role in collagen metabolism. Abnormal collagen accumulation and autoimmunity are characteristics of systemic sclerosis (SSc). We determined the presence and prevalence of autoantibodies to HSP47 in patients with SSc and also in tight-skin (TSK/+) mice, an animal model for SSc. Anti-HSP47 autoantibodies were present in SSc patients with a frequency of 26%, while patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, those with dermatomyositis, those with keloid and healthy subjects did not have anti-HSP47 antibodies. IgG1 and IgG2 were the major Ig isotypes of the autoantibodies. Patients positive for anti-HSP47 had a significantly shorter duration of disease than those who were negative. Anti-HSP47 autoantibodies were also positive in 79% of TSK/+ mice. Thus, autoantibodies to HSP47 were present in the sera from SSc patients as well as those from TSK mice, and may be associated with the pathogenesis of SSc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Medicine, Research Institute, International Medical Center of Japan, Tokyo, Japan. fujimoto-m@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hamaguchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yazawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Komura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takehara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D050958:HSP47 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting / Q000379:methods; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D007627:Keloid / Q000276:immunology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D019463:Mice, Inbred MRL lpr; D008875:Middle Aged; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D015843:Serpins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D050958:HSP47 Heat-Shock Proteins; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; C494660:SERPINH1 protein, human; C494661:Serpinh1 protein, mouse; D015843:Serpins