Identification of complement C3 as an autoantigen in inflammatory bowel disease.
OBJECTIVE
Autoantibodies against goblet cells in the gastrointestinal mucosa have been described in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but a corresponding autoantigen has not yet been identified. The aim of this study was to identify such an antigen.


METHODS
First, 10 candidate autoantigens were discarded based on double stainings of appendiceal sections and a mucin-producing cell line (HT29-mtx). Second, an appendiceal cDNA library was immunoscreened with IBD sera.


RESULTS
Three out of 48 positive clones were identified as complement C3. Using immunoprecipitation of in vitro transcribed and translated C3, seven of 17 primary sclerosing cholangitis patient sera, 15 of 65 IBD sera, and none out of 54 sera from healthy blood donors showed C3 immunoreactivity. The results were confirmed using western blot and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with alternative sources of C3 protein.


CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, we have identified complement C3 as a potential autoantigen in IBD and primary sclerosing cholangitis.
Lundgren
Brita Ardesjö
BA
Department of Medical Sciences, University Hospital, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden. brita.ardesjo@medsci.uu.se
Rorsman
Fredrik
F
Portela-Gomes
Guida M
GM
Grimelius
Lars
L
Ekdahl
Kristina Nilsson
KN
Nilsson
Bo
B
Ekwall
Olov
O
D000918:Antibody Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D001065:Appendix / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D015209:Cholangitis, Sclerosing / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D019073:HT29 Cells; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
D001324:Autoantigens; D015415:Biomarkers; D003176:Complement C3