Abstract
Adrenal antibodies (AA, binding to adrenal cortex) and steroidal cell antibodies (SCA, binding to gonadal and placental steroid-producing cells) demonstrated by immunofluorescence (IFL) staining have a high predictive value for the development of adrenal and ovarian failure in patients with APECED (JCEM 1987;64:494).
To characterize the adrenal autoantigens membrane fractions of isolated bovine adrenocortical or rat ovarian cells, or mouse Leydig cell tumor were run in SDS-PAGE (8-12% slab gels) under reducing conditions. The proteins transferred to nitrocellulose strips were used for immunoblolting (IB) experiments. 90 sera from 37 patients wilh APECED, 17 sera from persons with various cytoplasmic ab and 8 normal human sera were tested at dilution 1/50 by IB using peroxidase-labeled anti-human IgG as the second ab. Of the patients' serum samples, 69 (77%) contained ab against adrenal membrane proteins (IB). Of these, 34 contained IgG binding only to 54 K, 16 binding only to 50 K, and 19 binding to both antigens. All AA+ or SCA+ sera and 8/29 AA-SCA- sera were IB+. The 21 IB- sera were also IFL-. The 7 AA+ sera bound only to the 54 K antigen(s). Of AA-SCA+ sera, 9/10 bound only to the 50 K anligen(s). Of SCA+ sera, 8/9 tested on ovarian and 6/8 tested on Leydig cell membranes had IgG binding to 50 K antigen(s). Five of the control sera had ab binding to 54 K, but not to 50 K adrenal antigen(s).
Conclusions: The 54 K and 50 K membrane proteins are major adrenal autoantigens. The 54 K antigen(s) appears specific for adrenal cortex while the 50 K anligen(s) is shared by all steroid producing cells.
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Ahonen, P., Miettinen, A., Teittinen, M. et al. 15 ADRENAL AND STEROIDAL CELL MEMBRANE PROTEINS OF 54 K AND 50 K ARE AUTOANTIGENS IN AUTOIMMUNE POLYENDOCRINOPATHY – CANDIDOSIS – ECTODERMAL DYSTROPHY. Pediatr Res 24, 519 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198810000-00036
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198810000-00036