A possible link between infection with burkholderia bacteria and systemic lupus erythematosus based on epitope mimicry.
We previously demonstrated that purified polyclonal and monoclonal anti-dsDNA antibodies bind a 15-mer peptide ASPVTARVLWKASHV in ELISA and Dot blot. This 15-mer peptide partial sequence ARVLWKASH shares similarity with burkholderia bacterial cytochrome B 561 partial sequence ARVLWRATH. In this study, we show that purified anti-dsDNA antibodies react with burkholderia fungorum bacterial cell lysates in Western blot. We used anti-dsDNA antibodies to make an anti-dsDNA antibodies affinity column and used this column to purify the burkholderia fungorum bacterial protein. Purified anti-dsDNA antibodies bind specifically to purified bacterial antigen and purified bacterial antigen blocked the anti-dsDNA antibodies binding to dsDNA antigen. Sera with anti-dsDNA antibodies bind specifically to purified bacterial antigen. We obtained protein partial sequence of RAGTDEGFG which is shared with burkholderia bacterial transcription regulator protein sequence. Sera with anti-dsDNA antibodies bind to RAGTDEGFG peptide better than control groups. These data support our hypothesis that the origin of anti-dsDNA antibodies in SLE may be associated with burkholderia bacterial infection.
Zhang
Wei
W
Arthritis and Immunology Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA.
Reichlin
Morris
M
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D019117:Burkholderia / Q000276:immunology; D019121:Burkholderia Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D045303:Cytochromes b / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D018716:Molecular Mimicry / Q000276:immunology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D010455:Peptides; D045303:Cytochromes b