title: Human Hsp40 proteins, DNAJA1 and DNAJA2, as potential targets of the immune response triggered by bacterial DnaJ in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Hsp40 proteins of bacterial and human origin are suspected to be involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It has been shown that sera of RA patients contain increased levels of antibodies directed to bacterial and human Hsp40s. The aim of this work was to explore immunological similarities between the bacterial (DnaJ) and human (DNAJA1 and DNAJA2) Hsp40 proteins in relation to their possible involvement in the RA. Using polyclonal antibodies directed against a full-length DnaJ or its domains, against DNAJA1 and DNAJA2, as well as monoclonal anti-DnaJ antibodies, we found immunological similarities between the bacterial and human Hsp40s. Both ELISA and Western blotting showed that these similarities were not restricted to the conserved J domains but were also present in the C-terminal variable regions. We also found a positive correlation between the levels of the anti-DnaJ and anti-DNAJA1 antibodies in the sera of RA patients. This finding supports the molecular mimicry hypothesis that human Hsp40 could be the targets of antibodies originally directed against bacterial DnaJ in RA.
authors: Department of Biochemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland.
authors: Agnieszka
authors: A
authors: Kotlarz
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Tukaj
authors: Konrad
authors: K
authors: Krzewski
authors: Elzbieta
authors: E
authors: Brycka
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Lipinska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D050956:HSP40 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018716:Molecular Mimicry / Q000276:immunology; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; C107481:DNAJA1 protein, human; C494645:DNAJA2 protein, human; C494635:DnaJ protein, E coli; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D050956:HSP40 Heat-Shock Proteins