title: An epitope shared by cellular cytokeratin and Orientia tsutsugamushi.
abstract: Many microbial pathogens have epitopes shared with host cell components and these epitopes may induce transient or longer-term tissue-damaging autoantibody responses. We observed that several mouse monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) raised against Orientia tsutsugamushi were also reactive with host cells. One such antibody, MAb Rb105, cross-reacted with the cytoskeleton, as shown by immunofluorescent staining. Biochemical studies identified the cross-reacting component as a cytokeratin protein. These results identify an epitope shared by O. tsutsugamushi and the cytokeratins of host cells. In addition, antibodies cross-reactive with the cytoskeleton were detected in the sera of scrub typhus patients, suggesting that an epitope similar to that detected by MAb Rb105 may be recognized by human antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Research Institute for Medical Science, Inha University College of Medicine, Jungsuk B/D, 3rd Street, Shinheung-Dong, Choong-Gu, Incheon 400-712, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Mi-Jeong
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mee-Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae-Seung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology*; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000276:immunology*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D012285:Orientia tsutsugamushi / Q000276:immunology*; D012612:Scrub Typhus / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000939:Epitopes; D007633:Keratins