Human proteins with affinity for dermatan sulfate have the propensity to become autoantigens.

ABSTRACT: The mystery of why and how a small, seemingly disparate subset of all self molecules become functional autoantigens holds a key to understanding autoimmune diseases. Here and in a companion article in this issue, we show that affinity of self molecules to the glycosaminoglycan dermatan sulfate (DS) is a common property of autoantigens and leads to a specific autoreactive B-1a cell response. Autoimmune ANA/ENA reference sera react preferentially with DS affinity-fractionated cellular proteins. Studying patients with autoimmune diseases, we discovered patient-specific complex autoantigen patterns that are far richer and more diverse than previously thought, indicating significant pathological heterogeneity even within traditionally defined clinical entities, such as systemic lupus erythemato

SUBMITTER: Rho JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3081203 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature