title: Nuclear antigens and auto/alloantibody responses: friend or foe in transplant immunology.
abstract: In addition to cellular immune responses, humoral immune responses, mediated by natural antibodies, autoantibodies, and alloantibodies, have increasingly been recognized as causes of organ transplant rejection. In our previous studies, we have demonstrated the induction of antinuclear antibodies against histone H1 and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), in both experimental and clinical liver transplant tolerance. The active induction of antinuclear antibodies is usually an undesirable phenomenon, but it is often observed after liver transplantation. However, the release of nuclear antigens and its suppression by neutralizing antibodies are proposed to be important in the initiation and regulation of immune responses. In this review article, we summarize the current understanding of nuclear antigens and corresponding antinuclear regulatory antibodies (Abregs) on infection, injury, inflammation, transplant rejection, and tolerance induction and discuss the significance of nuclear antigens as diagnostic and therapeutic targets.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 123 Ta-Pei Road, Niao-Sung, Kaohsiung 833, Taiwan. toshi.nakano@msa.hinet.net
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Chao-Long
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D024243:HMGB1 Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006657:Histones / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007518:Isoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D023001:Transplantation Tolerance
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D024243:HMGB1 Protein; D006657:Histones; D007518:Isoantibodies