High-throughput screening for native autoantigen-autoantibody complexes using antibody microarrays

J Proteome Res. 2013 May 3;12(5):2311-20. doi: 10.1021/pr4001674. Epub 2013 Mar 29.

Abstract

We report on a novel, high-dimensional method to detect autoantibodies that are complexed with their natural autoantigens. Specifically, autoantibody-autoantigen complexes in serum or plasma are directly incubated onto a high-density antibody microarray. Detection of the bound autoantibody-antigen complex is made via fluorescently labeled antihuman immunoglobulin G or other immunoglobulin isotype secondary antibodies and quantification in a microarray scanner. Uncomplexed antibodies do not interfere with this assay. The whole process is very rapid and applicable for high-throughput screening without the need for production of proteins or immunoglobulin purification from the samples. Using these methods, we found that plasma from healthy individuals contains hundreds of autoantibodies complexed with cellular proteins. Thus, this highly sensitive, multiplex method is capable of discovering new autoantibody-antigen or circulating immune complexes, many of which will likely be useful for disease detection and characterization.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Immobilized / chemistry*
  • Autoantibodies / chemistry*
  • Autoantigens / blood
  • Autoantigens / chemistry*
  • Autoantigens / immunology
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / chemistry*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / immunology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Colonic Neoplasms / blood
  • Colonic Neoplasms / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunosorbent Techniques
  • Protein Array Analysis
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Staining and Labeling

Substances

  • Antibodies, Immobilized
  • Autoantibodies
  • Autoantigens
  • Biomarkers, Tumor