Abstract
Twenty-six percent of 53 systemic lupus erythematosus sera had high levels of IgM antibody to human T-lymphotropic virus Type I, significantly more than the 5% of normal controls. Neither IgG antibodies to Type I virus nor IgM or IgG antibodies to Type II virus were increased in lupus. Further analysis using competition immunoassay and Western blot techniques also suggested that the IgM Type I antibodies in lupus sera were directed against viral antigens but did not completely exclude a nonviral reaction. Other studies also have not found IgG antibodies to the Type I virus but have not tested for IgM antibodies. Our study suggests that human T-lymphotropic virus Type I or a related virus may be involved in the pathogenesis of some cases of systemic lupus erythematosus.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Phillips PE, Christian CL: Infectious agents in chronic rheumatic disease.In Arthritis and Allied Conditions, 10th ed, DJ McCarty (ed). Philadelphia, Lea & Febiger, 1985, pp 431–449
Rodnan GP, Schumacher HR (eds): Primer on the Rheumatic Diseases, 8th ed. Atlanta, Arthritis Foundation, 1983, pp 207–211
Poiesz B, Moore J, Merl S, Tomar, R, Zamkoff K, Davey F, Planas A, Gottlieb A, Runge L, Cowan BY, Reeves WG, Ehrlich G, Ruscetti FW, Hon T, Cabradilla CD, Comis R: Biology and epidemiology of HTLV.In Cancer Cells Vol 3. Human T-Cell Leukemia Viruses, R Gallo, M Essex, L Gross (eds). Cold Spring Harbor, NY, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1984, pp 237–247
Poiesz BJ, Ruscetti FW, Gazdar AF, Bunn PA, Minna JD, Gallo RC: Detection and isolation of type C retrovirus particles from fresh and cultured lymphocytes of a patient with cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 77:7415–7419, 1980
Kalyanaraman VS, Sarangadaharan MG, Robert-Guroff M, Myoshi I, Blaney D, Golde D, Gallo R: A new subtype of human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus (HTLV-II) associated with a T-cell variant of hairy cell leukemia. Science 218:571–573, 1982
Burnette WN: “Western blotting”: Electrophoretic transfer of proteins from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels to unmodified nitrocellulose and radiographic detection with antibody and radioiodinated protein A. Anal Biochem 112:195–203, 1981
Hawkes R, Niday E, Gordon J: A dot-immunobinding assay for monoclonal and other antibodies. Anal Biochem 119:142–147, 1982
Merl S, Kloster B, Moore J, Hulbell C, Tomar R, Davey F, Kalinowski D, Planas A, Ehrlich G, Clark D, Comis R, Poiesz B: Efficient transformation of previously activated and dividing T-lymphocytes by HTLV. Blood 64:967–974, 1984
Broder S, Gallo RC: A pathogenic retrovirus (HTLV-III) linked to AIDS. N Engl J Med 311:1292–1297, 1984
Rabson AB, Martin MA: Molecular organization of the AIDS retrovirus. Cell 40:477–480, 1985
Okamoto T, Tamura T, Takano T: Evidence in patients with SLE of the presence of antibodies against RNA-dependent DNA polymerase of baboon endogenous virus. Clin Exp Immunol 54:747–755, 1983
Halbert SP, Poiesz B, Friedman-Kien AE, Montagna R, Blattner WA, Anken M: Quantitative estimation of HTLV-I antibodies by a standardized ELISA in adult T cell leukemia and AIDS. J Clin Microbiol (in press)
Koike T, Kagami M, Takabayashi K, Maruyama N, Tomioka H, Yoshida S: Antibodies to human T cell leukemia virus are absent in patients with SLE. Arth Rheum 28:481–484, 1985
Kurata A, Katamine S, Fukuda T, Mine M, Ikari N, Kanazawa H, Matsunaga M, Eguchi K, Nagataki S: Production of a monoclonal antibody to a membrane antigen of human T-cell leukaemia virus (HTLV1/ATLV)-infected cell lines from a SLE patient; Serological analyses for HTLV1 infections in SLE patients. Clin Exp Immunol 62:65–74, 1985
McDougal JS, Kennedy MS, Kalyanaraman VS, McDuffie FC: Failure to demonstrate (cross-reacting) antibodies to human T lymphotropic viruses in patients with rheumatic diseases. Arth Rheum 28:1170–1174, 1985
Boumpas DT, Popovic M, Mann DL, Balow JE, Tsokos GC: Type C retroviruses of the human T cell leukemia family are not evident in patients with SLE. Arthritis Rheum 29:185–188, 1986
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Phillips, P.E., Johnston, S.L., Runge, L.A. et al. High IgM antibody to human T-lymphotropic virus type I in systemic lupus erythematosus. J Clin Immunol 6, 234–241 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00918703
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00918703