title: Low HEMA conjugation induces high autoantibody titer in mice.
abstract: 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) is a known causal agent of hypersensitivity to resin composites. We have reported that immunization with HEMA conjugated to mouse serum albumin (MSA) induces an autoantibody response in mice. In this study, we investigated both the activity and the avidity of autoantibodies induced by immunization with various HEMA conjugations to MSA. Female Balb/c mice were given MSA carrying 3, 7, 15, or 22 HEMA molecules. Antigen-specific IgG and IgE antibodies were determined by ELISA, and average antibody avidity by thiocyanate dissociation. Immunization with MSA carrying the lowest number of HEMA molecules induced a significantly higher IgG and IgE anti-MSA autoantibody response, with significantly higher IgG antibody avidity, than did the more heavily conjugated preparations. The results suggest that the lower the degree of HEMA conjugation to self-protein, the higher the risk for autoantibody production to the carrier protein. These findings suggest a mechanism of potential relevance in humans.
authors.affiliation: Section for Oral Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, The Sahlgrenska Academy, Göteborg University, Box 450, SE 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden. Elisabeth.Sandberg@odontologi.gu.se
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sandberg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bergenholtz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kahu
authors.forename: U I
authors.initials: UI
authors.lastname: Dahlgren
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D000915:Antibody Affinity / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D011485:Protein Binding; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D001323:Autoantibodies; D003764:Dental Materials; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008689:Methacrylates; D012709:Serum Albumin; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; C005044:hydroxyethyl methacrylate; D010047:Ovalbumin