Human monoclonal autoantibodies specific for the bullous pemphigoid antigen 1 (BPAg 1)

J Immunol. 1994 Aug 1;153(3):1333-9.

Abstract

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an acquired blistering skin disease associated with the production of IgG autoantibodies to the 230-kDa BP Ag (BPAg1). To better characterize the epitopes of BPAg1, we generated immortalized B cell lines secreting human mAbs (HumAbs) to BPAg1 from two BP patients whose sera reacted with native BPAg1 but not with a recombinant BP55 carboxyl-terminal peptide. Ab-producing B cell lines were established by EBV infection of CD40-activated PBMCs. Three independent clonal lines were obtained that secreted IgG HumAbs, including one IgG1 kappa (BP3) and two distinct IgG4 kappa (BP1 and BP2). These three HumAbs immunoprecipitated BPAg1. Blocking immunofluorescence experiments and phylogenetic studies showed that these Abs recognize different epitopes of BPAg1. This analysis with HumAbs further extends the serologic demonstration of the wide variety of epitopes recognized by BPAg1 autoantibodies which contrasts with the limited number of epitopes recognized by thyroid peroxidase monoclonal autoantibodies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology*
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Autoantibodies / immunology*
  • Autoantigens / chemistry
  • Autoantigens / immunology*
  • Autoantigens / metabolism
  • Binding, Competitive
  • Carrier Proteins*
  • Collagen Type XVII
  • Collagen*
  • Cross Reactions
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins*
  • Dystonin
  • Epidermis / immunology
  • Humans
  • Molecular Weight
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins*
  • Non-Fibrillar Collagens*
  • Pemphigoid, Bullous / immunology*
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Autoantibodies
  • Autoantigens
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • DST protein, human
  • Dystonin
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Non-Fibrillar Collagens
  • Collagen