title: Pathogenic roles of cardiac autoantibodies in dilated cardiomyopathy.
abstract: Whether autoimmunity could cause dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) was disputed for more than half a century. Autoantibodies against various cardiac antigens have been found in the sera of patients with DCM but none of these autoantibodies has been shown to have a substantial role in the development of DCM. It was recently reported that the injection of autoantibodies against cardiac troponin I (cTnI) can induce DCM in normal mice. This observation showed that autoantibodies can cause DCM and put an end to the controversy. Clinical trials of immunoglobulin-adsorption therapy for DCM have already started in Germany and the results seem promising. Here, we discuss the recent findings and possibilities of immunoglobulin-adsorption therapy for this deadly disease.
authors.affiliation: 21st Century COE formation, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.forename: Tasuku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Honjo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000502:physiology*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009206:Myocardium / Q000276:immunology; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; D019210:Troponin I / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D001323:Autoantibodies; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; C491383:Pdcd1 protein, mouse; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor; D019210:Troponin I; D002118:Calcium