title: Pituitary Microsomal Autoantibodies in Patients with Childhood-Onset Combined Pituitary Hormone Deficiency: an Antigen Identification Attempt.
abstract: The role of autoimmunization in the pathogenesis of pituitary disorders is poorly understood. The presence of pituitary autoantibodies (APA) has been detected in various pituitary disorders. Their role, however, remains elusive. Childhood-onset combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD) may be caused by environmental or genetic factors. In some of patients, causes of the disease remain unclear and contributions of autoimmune processes have been postulated. The aim of this study was to identify the microsomes-derived pituitary antigens (MPA) as potential immunogenic autoantigens in patients with hypopituitarism, therefore 62 CPHD patients, 100 healthy controls and five autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type II (APS II) patients were included in the study. The clinical evaluation included hormonal tests and magnetic resonance imaging of the pituitary. The sources of MPA were pituitary glands taken from autopsies. Isolated MPA were then separated on SDS-PAGE gel and incubated with sera obtained from patients and controls. Microsomal APA were detected using Western blot and radioimmunological method. In all CPHD and APS II patients and in 9 % individuals from control group marked immunoreactivity was detected against MPA. Antibodies showed high affinity to 67, 60, 50 and 36 kDa MPAs. Since the identified autoantigens were of unknown nature, an in silico exploration of UniProt database was applied and indicated their possible relationship with chaperones, golgins and already known autoantigens like GAD67. Reactivity against MPA indicates that these proteins certainly play a role in the processes undergoing within pituitary of CPHD patients. The identification and further detailed studies on their role in the pathogenesis of CPHD should be continued.
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland. kaziem@ump.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ziemnicka
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gut
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gołąb
authors.affiliation: Chair of Clinical Immunology, Department of Immunology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dworacki
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wrotkowska
authors.affiliation: Department of General Radiology and Neuroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stajgis
authors.affiliation: Department of General Radiology and Neuroradiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katulska
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Rheumatology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rabska-Pietrzak
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Rheumatology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Obara-Moszyńska
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Endocrinology and Rheumatology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niedziela
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Bartłomiej
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Budny
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kałużna
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Ryszard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Waśko
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Internal Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruchała
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007018:Hypopituitarism / Q000276:immunology*; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008297:Male; D008861:Microsomes / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens
keywords: Anti-microsomal antibodies; Combined pituitary hormone deficiency; Immunoblotting; Radioimmunology