Protein microarray analysis reveals BAFF-binding autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus

J Clin Invest. 2013 Dec;123(12):5135-45. doi: 10.1172/JCI70231. Epub 2013 Nov 25.

Abstract

Autoantibodies against cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors inhibit normal immunity and are implicated in inflammatory autoimmune disease and diseases of immune deficiency. In an effort to evaluate serum from autoimmune and immunodeficient patients for Abs against cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors in a high-throughput and unbiased manner, we constructed a multiplex protein microarray for detection of serum factor-binding Abs and used the microarray to detect autoantibody targets in SLE. We designed a nitrocellulose-surface microarray containing human cytokines, chemokines, and other circulating proteins and demonstrated that the array permitted specific detection of serum factor-binding probes. We used the arrays to detect previously described autoantibodies against cytokines in samples from individuals with autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 and chronic mycobacterial infection. Serum profiling from individuals with SLE revealed that among several targets, elevated IgG autoantibody reactivity to B cell-activating factor (BAFF) was associated with SLE compared with control samples. BAFF reactivity correlated with the severity of disease-associated features, including IFN-α-driven SLE pathology. Our results showed that serum factor protein microarrays facilitate detection of autoantibody reactivity to serum factors in human samples and that BAFF-reactive autoantibodies may be associated with an elevated inflammatory disease state within the spectrum of SLE.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Autoantibodies / blood
  • Autoantibodies / immunology*
  • Autoantigens / immunology*
  • B-Cell Activating Factor / immunology*
  • Cytokines / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology*
  • Inflammation
  • Interferon-alpha / immunology
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mycobacterium Infections / blood
  • Mycobacterium Infections / immunology
  • Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune / blood
  • Polyendocrinopathies, Autoimmune / immunology
  • Protein Array Analysis*
  • Recombinant Proteins / immunology

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Autoantigens
  • B-Cell Activating Factor
  • Cytokines
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • TNFSF13B protein, human
  • Tnfsf13b protein, mouse

Associated data

  • GEO/GSE51100
  • GEO/GSE51101
  • GEO/GSE51102