title: Increased levels of antibodies against heat shock proteins in stroke patients.
abstract: Ischemic stroke is the second leading cause of death worldwide. One of the main risk factors of the ischemic stroke is atherosclerosis which is a chronic inflammatory and immune-mediated disease. Bacterial infections generate specific human antibodies against various antigens, including Hsps. It has been demonstrated that Hsps are selectively overexpressed in the atherosclerotic lesions. The amino acid sequence homology between human and bacterial Hsps may lead to an autoimmune response by immunological cross-reaction. Such immune response against Hsps overexpressed in the blood vessels under stressful conditions may contribute to inflammatory processes and subsequent development of atherosclerosis. In this study we determined the antibody levels against bacterial and human Hsp by ELISA in blood plasma obtained from stroke patients. Using ANOVA we analyzed levels of Hsp-antibodies in control and patient groups and correlate them with several stroke risk factors. The group of stroke patients had elevated levels of anti-Hsp antibodies compared to the control group. We also discovered an antibody level increase in patients that previously underwent another stroke. Our data provide evidence that autoimmunity could underlie formation of atherosclerosis plaque leading to stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Zyta
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Banecka-Majkutewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grabowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kadziński
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Aliaksei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papkov
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Węgrzyn
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Gdansk and Medical University of Gdansk, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Banecki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology; D050956:HSP40 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D050884:HSP72 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D018841:HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D050956:HSP40 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D050884:HSP72 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018841:HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins; C066720:HtpG protein, bacteria; C063842:dnaK protein, E coli