Abstracts
13
in comparison to the healthy BALB/c mice. The latter is already found in 6-8
weeks old NZB/W-mice. The cytotoxicity of the macrophages against the dif-
ferent target cells did not show any alterations between the two mouse strains. The
macrophage precursors isolated from the liver of the NZB/W-mice were highly ac-
tive against the NK-target YAC 1. This fact could be found neither in other organs
nor in the comparable compartments of the BALB/c mice. The bone-marrow of
the SLE-prone mice did not show any alterations in comparison with the healthy
control. Regarding secretory functions of the macrophages preliminary results
show a decreased PGE2-production of splenic macrophages of the SLE-prone
mice. TNF-a and IL-1 secretion revealed no significant differences between both
mouse strains. Our results implicate a liver-associated proliferation and enlarge-
ment of the macrophage system in SLE-developing NZB/W-mice. This work was
supported by SFB 244, project A5.
Cytoskeletal Proteins: Major Antigens in Autoimmune Diseases
W. W. Franke1, L. Jahn1,2, U. A. Simanowski2, and G. Bruder3
1 Institute of Cell and Tumor Biologie, German Cancer Research Center, 6900 Heidelberg,
FRG
2Dept, of Internal Medicine, University of Heidelberg, 6900 Heidelberg, FRG
3 Progen Biotechnics, 6900 Heidelberg, FRG
A group of “insoluble” intracellular structures characterized by their remark-
able resistance to extractions in solutions of a wide range of ionic strength and
pH values as well as in non-denaturing detergents, commonly referred to as the
“cytoskeleton”, are formed by different families of proteins, including cyto
plasmic as well as nuclear representatives. Although these proteins, or at least
most of their structure, are not exposed to the immune system, as long as the cells
are intact, autoantibodies to such cytoskeletal proteins are frequently found in
sera of patients with certain diseases; on the other hand antibodies to specific
cytoskeletal proteins are also found, sometimes in considerable titers, in sera from
apparently healthy persons and animals. The reported levels of autoantibodies to
diverse types of cytoskeletal proteins (intermediate filament proteins, including
nuclear lamins, 1 -5; actins; tubulins; membrane-associated plaque proteins such
as the desmoglein of desmosomes, 6-8, the Mr 220000 bullous pemphigoid an-
tigen of “hemidesmosomes”, 9, but also xanthine oxidase, 10) will be discussed
in relation to the patterns of diseases in which their concentrations are frequently
13
in comparison to the healthy BALB/c mice. The latter is already found in 6-8
weeks old NZB/W-mice. The cytotoxicity of the macrophages against the dif-
ferent target cells did not show any alterations between the two mouse strains. The
macrophage precursors isolated from the liver of the NZB/W-mice were highly ac-
tive against the NK-target YAC 1. This fact could be found neither in other organs
nor in the comparable compartments of the BALB/c mice. The bone-marrow of
the SLE-prone mice did not show any alterations in comparison with the healthy
control. Regarding secretory functions of the macrophages preliminary results
show a decreased PGE2-production of splenic macrophages of the SLE-prone
mice. TNF-a and IL-1 secretion revealed no significant differences between both
mouse strains. Our results implicate a liver-associated proliferation and enlarge-
ment of the macrophage system in SLE-developing NZB/W-mice. This work was
supported by SFB 244, project A5.
Cytoskeletal Proteins: Major Antigens in Autoimmune Diseases
W. W. Franke1, L. Jahn1,2, U. A. Simanowski2, and G. Bruder3
1 Institute of Cell and Tumor Biologie, German Cancer Research Center, 6900 Heidelberg,
FRG
2Dept, of Internal Medicine, University of Heidelberg, 6900 Heidelberg, FRG
3 Progen Biotechnics, 6900 Heidelberg, FRG
A group of “insoluble” intracellular structures characterized by their remark-
able resistance to extractions in solutions of a wide range of ionic strength and
pH values as well as in non-denaturing detergents, commonly referred to as the
“cytoskeleton”, are formed by different families of proteins, including cyto
plasmic as well as nuclear representatives. Although these proteins, or at least
most of their structure, are not exposed to the immune system, as long as the cells
are intact, autoantibodies to such cytoskeletal proteins are frequently found in
sera of patients with certain diseases; on the other hand antibodies to specific
cytoskeletal proteins are also found, sometimes in considerable titers, in sera from
apparently healthy persons and animals. The reported levels of autoantibodies to
diverse types of cytoskeletal proteins (intermediate filament proteins, including
nuclear lamins, 1 -5; actins; tubulins; membrane-associated plaque proteins such
as the desmoglein of desmosomes, 6-8, the Mr 220000 bullous pemphigoid an-
tigen of “hemidesmosomes”, 9, but also xanthine oxidase, 10) will be discussed
in relation to the patterns of diseases in which their concentrations are frequently