Autoantigens in ovarian autoimmunity associated with unexplained infertility and premature ovarian failure.
OBJECTIVE
To identify ovarian autoantigens associated with ovarian autoantibodies.


METHODS
Hypothesis-generating prospective study.


METHODS
Urban infertility referral centers and academic research institution.


METHODS
Seventy-four patients with infertility, 19 patients with premature ovarian failure (POF), and 16 healthy control women.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Identification of autoantigens.


RESULTS
To identify major antigens for ovarian autoimmunity, sera from 74 women with unexplained infertility were screened for ovarian autoantibodies (AOAs) by immunoassay and one-dimensional Western blot. The majority of sera had immunoreactions at 50-56 kDa. Six representative positive infertility sera were used to identify antigens between 40 and 60 kD by two-dimensional Western blot and mass spectrometry. Antigens included aldehyde (retinal) dehydrogenases (ALDH1A1, ALDH1A2, and ALDH7A1), protein disulfide isomerase A3, vimentin, α-enolase, phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase, and selenium-binding protein 1 (SBP1). Sixty percent (24 out of 40) of infertility and POF sera were positive for recombinant ALDH1A1, SBP1, or enolase; 80.7% (21 out of 26) of AOA-positive sera had antibodies to one or more of the three antigens, and only 7% (1 out of 14) of AOA-negative sera had antibodies to recombinant proteins.


CONCLUSIONS
ALDH1A1 and SBP1 are unique to ovarian autoimmunity associated with infertility and POF, and may provide the basis for specific tests to identify patients with ovarian autoimmunity.
Department of Pharmacology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA.
Seby L
SL
Edassery
Seerin V
SV
Shatavi
Jeremy P
JP
Kunkel
Charles
C
Hauer
Cosima
C
Brucker
Krishna
K
Penumatsa
Yi
Y
Yu
James A
JA
Dias
Judith L
JL
Luborsky
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D010053:Ovary / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016649:Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D055815:Young Adult
D001324:Autoantigens