Autoreactive IgG to intracellular proteins in sera of MS patients

Abstract

IgG binding to multiple protein constituents in lysates of Jurkat cells was detected by Western blot in sera of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The distribution patterns of bands with sera tested against protein lysates from normal Jurkat cells or from Jurkat cells exposed to apoptosis or oxidative stress inducing conditions were similar in most patients, but with inter-individual differences. The number of bands with sera of both patient populations far exceeded those (0 or 2 bands) detected with sera of healthy controls. Proteinase K, RNase and DNase pre-treatment of cell lysates suggested a protein nature for all of the antigens and a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) nature for some of the antigens recognized by serum IgG of MS and SLE patients. Only two MS patients had positive anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) titers, while all of them had positive Western blots. In addition to similarities, dissimilarities were also recognized between the humoral immune responses in MS and SLE. No IgG molecules were detected against phosphorylated proteins in the sera of MS patients, while multiple phosphoproteins were recognized by IgG molecules of SLE patients in immunoprecipitation experiments. These data suggest that in addition to ANA, the sera of MS patients contain autoantibodies directed against multiple intracellular proteins. The protein recognition patterns of immunoglobulins in MS share similarities, but also have distinct features when compared to those in SLE. The biological significance of these autoantibodies in MS remains to be understood.