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Research Article Free access | 10.1172/JCI115801

Serological cross-reactivity between a human Ro/SS-A autoantigen (calreticulin) and the lambda Ral-1 antigen of Onchocerca volvulus.

F A Lux, D P McCauliffe, D W Büttner, R Lucius, J D Capra, R D Sontheimer, and T S Lieu

Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235.

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Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235.

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Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235.

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Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235.

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Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235.

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Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235.

Find articles by Sontheimer, R. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar

Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235.

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First published June 1, 1992 - More info

Published in Volume 89, Issue 6 on June 1, 1992
J Clin Invest. 1992;89(6):1945–1951. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI115801.
© 1992 The American Society for Clinical Investigation
First published June 1, 1992 - Version history
Abstract

We have cloned and sequenced a 46-kD Ro/SS-A autoantigen gene that is the human homologue of the calcium-binding protein, calreticulin. The sequence of this 46-kD Ro/SS-A protein (calreticulin) has significant homology to lambda Ral-1, a recombinant cDNA clone corresponding to a major antigen of the nematode, Onchocerca volvulus, the infectious agent of onchocerciasis. We therefore sought to determine whether antibodies produced by onchocerciasis patients might crossreact with the human 46-kD Ro/SS-A autoantigen (calreticulin). 20 of 22 sera from Liberian onchocerciasis patients who had no known evidence of autoimmune disease were found to contain antibodies that reacted with the 46-kD Ro/SS-A (calreticulin) by immunoblot analysis. Characteristic of sera reactive with Ro/SS-A antigens, some onchocerciasis sera also immunoprecipitated the Ro/SS-A-associated hY RNAs. In addition, a monoclonal antibody raised against O. volvulus organisms reacted to purified human WiL-2 cell 46 kD Ro/SS-A antigen (calreticulin) by ELISA. These results strongly suggest that onchocerciasis patients produce antibodies that crossreact with the 46-kD human Ro/SS-A autoantigen (calreticulin) and raise the possibility that infectious organisms such as O. volvulus might play a triggering or exacerbating role in the human Ro/SS-A autoimmune response.

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