Proteomic analysis of influenza haemagglutinin-specific antibodies following vaccination reveals convergent immunoglobulin variable region signatures.

Analysis of the anti-haemagglutinin serum antibody proteome from six H1N1pdm09 influenza A vaccinated subjects demonstrated restricted IgG1 heavy chain species encoded by IGHV5-51 and IGHV3-7 gene families in 2 subjects and either IGHV5-51 or IGHV3-7 in 4 individuals. All subjects exhibited a dominant IGKV3-20 light chain, however 5 subjects also exhibited IGKV3-11 and IGKV4-1 families. Sequences were closely aligned with the matched germline sequence, with few shared mutations. This study illustrates the feasibility of using a proteomic approach to determine the expressed V region signatures of serum antibodies induced by vaccination.

IgV peptide mapping of native Ro60 autoantibody proteomes in primary Sjögren's syndrome reveals molecular markers of Ro/La diversification.

We have used high-resolution mass spectrometry to sequence precipitating anti-Ro60 proteomes from sera of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome and compare immunoglobulin variable-region (IgV) peptide signatures in Ro/La autoantibody subsets. Anti-Ro60 were purified by elution from native Ro60-coated ELISA plates and subjected to combined de novo amino acid sequencing and database matching. Monospecific anti-Ro60 Igs comprised dominant public and minor private sets of IgG1 kappa and lambda restricted heavy and light chains. Specific IgV amino acid substitutions stratified anti-Ro60 from anti-Ro60/La responses, providing a molecular fingerprint of Ro60/La determinant spreading and suggesting that different forms of Ro60 antigen drive these responses. Sequencing of linked anti-Ro52 proteomes from individual patients and comparison with their anti-Ro60 partners revealed sharing of a dominant IGHV3-23/IGKV3-20 paired clonotype but with divergent IgV mutational signatures. In summary, anti-Ro60 IgV peptide mapping provides insights into Ro/La autoantibody diversification and reveals serum-based molecular markers of humoral Ro60 autoimmunity.

Secreted autoantibody repertoires in Sjögren's syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus: A proteomic approach.

The structures of epitopes bound by autoantibodies against RNA-protein complexes have been well-defined over several decades, but little is known of the clonality, immunoglobulin (Ig) variable (V) gene usage and mutational status of the autoantibodies themselves at the level of the secreted (serum) proteome. A novel proteomic workflow is presented based on affinity purification of specific Igs from serum, high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, and de novo and database-driven sequencing of V-region proteins by mass spectrometry. Analysis of anti-Ro52/Ro60/La proteomes in primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and anti-Sm and anti-ribosomal P proteomes in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has revealed that these antibody responses are dominated by restricted sets of public (shared) clonotypes, consistent with common pathways of production across unrelated individuals. The discovery of shared sets of specific V-region peptides can be exploited for diagnostic biomarkers in targeted mass spectrometry platforms and for tracking and removal of pathogenic clones.

Correlation of hepcidin level with insulin resistance and endocrine glands function in major thalassemia.

BACKGROUND: Hepcidin is a master regulator of iron metabolism that inhibits the transport of iron out of enterocytes and macrophages. Thalassemia major (TM) is associated with some of the endocrine disorders. However, studies have yet to be conducted on the correlation of hepcidin with hormone levels and insulin resistance (IR) in patients with TM. OBJECTIVES: In the present study, the correlation of hepcidin level with some endocrine and biochemical parameters was investigated to determine the factors that mainly affect hepcidin correlation in patients with thalassemia. These factors include hormones, iron status, and IR parameters. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Hepcidin and other measured biochemical parameters were compared between the TM patients (100) and healthy children (37). RESULTS: Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was positively correlated (p < 0.05) with hepcidin, iron, and ferritin. T4 hormone was correlated with ferritin only. Other hormones showed different correlation patterns with iron status parameters but were statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). The percentage of ß-cell function was the only parameter among the IR parameters that showed a significant difference between thalassemic and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Thyroid and ß-cells dysfunctions are common in TM patients with frequent blood transfusions. In addition, hepcidin and TSH levels can be predicted significantly using the most correlated factors with hepcidin. These factors, including ferritin, insulin and TSH were used to construct predicting equations: S. Hepcidin = 0.003*Ferritin + 3.02*TSH + 0.12*Insulin + 16.85 (± 7.78) and TSH = 0.0083 × Insulin + 0.0042 × Ferritin + 0.0937 × Hepcidin + 1.91 (± 1.373).

Serum SmD autoantibody proteomes are clonally restricted and share variable-region peptides.

Recent advances in mass spectrometry-based proteomic methods have allowed variable (V)-region peptide signatures to be derived from human autoantibodies present in complex serum mixtures. Here, we analysed the clonality and V-region composition of immunoglobulin (Ig) proteomes specific for the immunodominant SmD protein subunit of the lupus-specific Sm autoantigen. Precipitating SmD-specific IgGs were eluted from native SmD-coated ELISA plates preincubated with sera from six patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) positive for anti-Sm/RNP. Heavy (H)- and light (L)-chain clonality and V-region sequences were analysed by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and combined de novo database mass spectrometric sequencing. SmD autoantibody proteomes from all six patients with SLE expressed IgG1 kappa restricted clonotypes specified by IGHV3-7 and IGHV1-69 H-chains and IGKV3-20 and IGKV2-28 L-chains, with shared and individual V-region amino acid replacement mutations. Clonotypic sharing and restricted V-region diversity of systemic autoimmunity can now be extended from the Ro/La cluster to Sm autoantigen and implies a common pathway of anti-Sm autoantibody production in unrelated patients with SLE.