DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48120#0136
118
Molecular and Cell Biology of Autoantibodies and Autoimmunity
Antibodies to Nuclear Lamin C in Chronic Hepatitis Delta Virus
Infection
J. Wesierska-Gadek1, E. Penner2, E. Hitchman2, and G. Sauermann1
1 Institute of Tumorbiology-Cancer Research and
21st Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Vienna, Vienna,
Austria
The hepatitis delta virus is a defective RNA virus, dependent in its replication
and infection on help provided by the hepatitis B virus. In this study we show that
a majority of sera from patients with chronic hepatitis delta virus infection con-
tain antibodies reacting exclusively with type C of the nuclear lamins. This an-
tigen target was localized by immunofluorescence and identified in immunoblot-
ting experiments, using different subnuclear fractions as antigen source.
The presence of antibodies solely recognizing nuclear lamin C is intriguing
considering the primary structure of the nuclear lamins. Lamin C of 60 kD and
lamin A of 70 kD molecular weight, occurring in equal amounts in the nuclear
envelope, share extensive sequence homologies. Accordingly, antibodies observed
in other autoimmune diseases, as in systemic rheumatic disorders or in chronic
lupoid hepatitis (1), reacted with both, nuclear lamin A and lamin C. It appears
that the presently described novel autoantibody associated with chronic hepatitis
delta virus infection is recognizing an epitope in the carboxy-terminal region of
nuclear lamin C.
References
1. Wesierska-Gadek, J., Penner, E., Hitchman, E., Sauermann, G. (1988): Clin. Im-
munol. Immunopathol. 49, 107-115
Molecular and Cell Biology of Autoantibodies and Autoimmunity
Antibodies to Nuclear Lamin C in Chronic Hepatitis Delta Virus
Infection
J. Wesierska-Gadek1, E. Penner2, E. Hitchman2, and G. Sauermann1
1 Institute of Tumorbiology-Cancer Research and
21st Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Vienna, Vienna,
Austria
The hepatitis delta virus is a defective RNA virus, dependent in its replication
and infection on help provided by the hepatitis B virus. In this study we show that
a majority of sera from patients with chronic hepatitis delta virus infection con-
tain antibodies reacting exclusively with type C of the nuclear lamins. This an-
tigen target was localized by immunofluorescence and identified in immunoblot-
ting experiments, using different subnuclear fractions as antigen source.
The presence of antibodies solely recognizing nuclear lamin C is intriguing
considering the primary structure of the nuclear lamins. Lamin C of 60 kD and
lamin A of 70 kD molecular weight, occurring in equal amounts in the nuclear
envelope, share extensive sequence homologies. Accordingly, antibodies observed
in other autoimmune diseases, as in systemic rheumatic disorders or in chronic
lupoid hepatitis (1), reacted with both, nuclear lamin A and lamin C. It appears
that the presently described novel autoantibody associated with chronic hepatitis
delta virus infection is recognizing an epitope in the carboxy-terminal region of
nuclear lamin C.
References
1. Wesierska-Gadek, J., Penner, E., Hitchman, E., Sauermann, G. (1988): Clin. Im-
munol. Immunopathol. 49, 107-115