Abstract
It is unclear whether organ-specific autoantigens are critical for the development of primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). A 120-kilodalton organ-specific autoantigen was purified from salivary gland tissues of an NFS/sld mouse model of human SS. The amino-terminal residues were identical to those of the human cytoskeletal protein alpha-fodrin. The purified antigen induced proliferative T cell responses and production of interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma in vitro. Neonatal immunization with the 120-kilodalton antigen prevented the disease in mice. Sera from patients with SS reacted positively with purified antigen and recombinant human alpha-fodrin protein, whereas those from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis did not. Thus, the immune response to 120-kilodalton alpha-fodrin could be important in the initial development of primary SS.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Arthritis, Rheumatoid / immunology
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Autoantibodies / biosynthesis
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Autoantibodies / immunology
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Autoantigens / immunology*
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Autoantigens / isolation & purification
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Carrier Proteins / immunology*
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Carrier Proteins / isolation & purification
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Cells, Cultured
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Disease Models, Animal
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Humans
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Immunization
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Immunoblotting
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Interferon-gamma / biosynthesis
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Interleukin-2 / biosynthesis
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Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / immunology
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Lymphocyte Activation
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Mice
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Mice, Inbred Strains
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Microfilament Proteins / immunology*
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Microfilament Proteins / isolation & purification
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Organ Specificity
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / immunology
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Salivary Glands / immunology
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Sjogren's Syndrome / immunology*
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Sjogren's Syndrome / prevention & control
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T-Lymphocytes / immunology
Substances
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Autoantibodies
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Autoantigens
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Carrier Proteins
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Interleukin-2
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Microfilament Proteins
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins
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fodrin
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Interferon-gamma