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Autoantibodies against aggrecan in systemic rheumatic diseases
D H Vynios1, I Tsagaraki, G H A Grigoreas
1Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, University of Patras, 26500 Rio, Patras, Greece. vynios@chemistry.upatras.gr
Biochimie
|February 21, 2006
Summary
Autoantibodies against aggrecan, a key cartilage proteoglycan, are prevalent in systemic rheumatic diseases. The G2 domain of aggrecan is implicated in this autoimmune response, potentially aiding differential diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Immunology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Aggrecan is the main proteoglycan in cartilage.
- Autoimmune responses to aggrecan may be involved in systemic rheumatic diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate autoantibodies against aggrecan in systemic rheumatic diseases.
- To identify specific aggrecan substructures targeted by these autoantibodies.
Main Methods:
- Sera from patients with systemic rheumatic diseases, osteoarthritis, cancer, and healthy individuals were analyzed.
- Solid phase assay and Western blotting were used to detect anti-aggrecan autoantibodies.
- Nano-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (nanoHPLC-MS) identified aggrecan substructures.
Main Results:
- Autoantibodies against aggrecan were found in all systemic rheumatic disease sera at high titers.
- Osteoarthritis and cancer sera showed reactivity similar to healthy controls.
- Western blotting and nanoHPLC-MS identified the G2 domain of aggrecan as a target of these autoantibodies.
Conclusions:
- The G2 domain of aggrecan is involved in the autoimmune response in systemic rheumatic diseases.
- Anti-aggrecan antibodies may have a discriminatory role in differentiating rheumatic diseases from cancer.
- Further studies in larger patient cohorts are needed to confirm diagnostic potential.
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