Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus in autoimmune diseases: are they truly notorious? A preliminary report.

To date, it is believed that the origin of autoimmune diseases is one of a multifactorial background. A genetic predisposition, an immune system malfunction or even backfire, hormonal regulation, and environmental factors all play important roles in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Among these environmental factors, the role of infection is known to be a major one. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) are considered to be notorious as they are consistently associated with multiple autoimmune diseases. A cohort of 1595 serum samples, of 23 different autoimmune disease groups, was screened for evidence of prior infection with EBV and CMV. All samples were screened for antibodies against EBV nuclear antigen-1 (IgG), EBV viral capsid antigen (IgG and IgM), EBV early antigen (IgG), EBV heterophile antibody, and CMV (IgG and IgM) antibodies using Bio-Rad's BioPlex 2200. A new association is proposed between EBV and polymyositis, as results show a significant increase in titers of various EBV target analytes when compared with healthy controls. Our results also support prior information suggesting the association between EBV and multiple autoimmune diseases, including SLE, antiphospholipid syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, pemphigus vulgaris, giant cell arthritis, Wegener's granulomatosis, and polyarteritis nodosa (PAN). Elevated CMV IgG titers were observed in sera of SLE patients. Our data support the theory that EBV is notoriously associated with many autoimmune diseases. CMV appears to be associated to autoimmune diseases as well, yet establishing this theory requires further investigation.

Stereoselective recognition of monolayers of cholesterol, ent-cholesterol, and epicholesterol by an antibody.

The interaction between a monoclonal antibody and four distinct monolayers with varying degrees of structural, chemical, and stereochemical similarity were studied and quantified. The antibody, raised and selected against cholesterol monohydrate crystals, interacts with cholesterol monolayers stereospecifically, but not enantiospecifically. Monolayers of ent-cholesterol molecules, which are chemically identical to cholesterol and whose structure is the exact mirror image of the cholesterol monolayer, interact with the antibody to the same extent as the cholesterol monolayers. The affinity of the antibody for both enantiomeric monolayers is extremely high. However, the antibody does not interact with monolayers of epicholesterol, which is an epimer of cholesterol: The hydroxy group in epicholesterol is in the 3alpha position rather than in the 3beta position, imposing a different angle between the hydroxy group and the rigid steroid backbone, and a different packing of the molecules. Monolayers of triacontanol, a long-chain primary aliphatic alcohol, interact with the antibody to a lesser extent than the cholesterol and ent-cholesterol monolayers, presumably due to the structural flexibility of the triacontanol molecule. The lack of chiral discrimination by the antibody is thus correlated to the level at which the chirality is exposed at the surface of the monolayers.

Stereoselective interactions of a specialized antibody with cholesterol and epicholesterol monolayers.

The stereoselective recognition by monoclonal antibodies of two-dimensional monolayers of cholesterol spread at the air-water interface is presented. Using immunofluorescence, we show that one antibody, raised and selected against crystals of cholesterol monohydrate, specifically recognizes monolayers of cholesterol, but not monolayers of epicholesterol--its epimeric form. This demonstrates that stereoselective recognition also applies to protein-surface interactions.

Monoclonal antibody recognition of cholesterol monohydrate crystal faces.

BACKGROUND: The immune system can elicit antibodies against a wide variety of antigens. We have proposed that crystal surfaces may also operate as antigens, binding specific antibodies. Here we exploit the crystal surfaces of cholesterol monohydrate to investigate antibody-surface recognition at the molecular level. RESULTS: Four monoclonal antibodies were selected. Two specifically interact with cholesterol monohydrate crystals, and one with 1,4-dinitrobenzene crystals. The fourth interacts nonselectively with various solid substrates. The relative reactivities of the four antibodies to the different surfaces of cholesterol monohydrate and to other surfaces were compared. The nonspecific antibody adsorbs mainly at imperfections. Of the two specific antibodies, one shows a clear preference for one set of faces, relative to others, the second adsorbs selectively at one face of cholesterol monohydrate crystals. CONCLUSIONS: Monoclonal antibodies can be selected that specifically bind to the crystal surfaces of cholesterol monohydrate. The binding sites of such antibodies appear to recognize a number of molecular moieties, exposed at the surface in a specific structural organization. Different antibodies recognize different structural organizations with varying degrees of selectivity. Antibody-crystal surface interactions may serve as convenient models for studies aimed at an understanding of the molecular bases of antibody recognition.