Antibodies to human cytomegalovirus protein UL83 in systemic sclerosis

Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2006 Mar-Apr;24(2):176-8.

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether elevated levels of antibodies to HCMV protein UL83 were present in patients with SSc and if their prevalence was associated with major SSc-associated autoantibodies.

Methods: The study population consisted of 253 Caucasian subjects (110 SSc patients and 143 controls). IgG antibodies to UL83 were measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Antibodies to centromere and RNA polymerase (RNAP) were determined by indirect immunofluorescence and immnoprecipitation methods, respectively.

Results: The mean level of anti-UL83 antibodies in the sera of SSc patients as a whole was significantly higher than that in control subjects (14.75 vs 10.6 units/microl, p = 0.002). Both subgroups of patients contributed to this variation: compared to controls, anti-UL83 antibody levels were higher in diffuse (16.32 vs 10.6 units/microl, p = 0.012) as well as in those with the limited form of the disease (13.95 vs 10.6 units/microl, p = 0.015). Anti-UL83 antibodies were not associated with major SSc associated autoantibodies.

Conclusion: Humoral immunity to HCMV protein UL83 may be relevant to the etiopathogenesis of scleroderma.

MeSH terms

  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Centromere / immunology
  • Cytomegalovirus / immunology
  • Cytomegalovirus / isolation & purification*
  • Cytomegalovirus / pathogenicity
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / complications
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / immunology*
  • DNA Topoisomerases, Type I / immunology
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood*
  • Phosphoproteins / immunology*
  • Scleroderma, Systemic / immunology*
  • Scleroderma, Systemic / virology
  • Viral Matrix Proteins / immunology*

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Phosphoproteins
  • Viral Matrix Proteins
  • cytomegalovirus matrix protein 65kDa
  • DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
  • DNA Topoisomerases, Type I