Cross-reactivity of Antibodies Directed to the Gram-Negative Bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae With Heat Shock Protein 60 and ATP-Binding Protein Correlates to Reduced Mitochondrial Activity in HIBCPP Choroid Plexus Papilloma Cells

J Mol Neurosci. 2015 Sep;57(1):123-38. doi: 10.1007/s12031-015-0585-7. Epub 2015 Jun 17.

Abstract

Antibacterial antibodies can cause neurologic side-effects by cross-reactivity with cellular antigens. Here we investigated interactions of antibodies to Neisseria gonorrhoeae (α-NG) - maternal infections by which increases the offspring's risk for later psychosis-with HIBCPP cells, a cell culture model of choroid plexus epithelium. Immunocytochemistry and Western blotting with α-NG, revealed organelle-like intracellular staining in HIBCPP cells, and labelling of several immunoreactive bands in cellular protein. Two-dimensional Western blotting revealed several immunopositive spots, most prominent of which were identified by mass spectrometry as mitochondrially localized proteins heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60) and ATP-binding protein β-subunit (ATPB). Similarly α-NG interacted with commercial samples of these proteins as revealed by Western blotting. Three alternative methods (JC-1, Janus green and MTT staining) revealed α-NG to cause in HIBCPP cells a significant decrease in mitochondrial activity, which could be reverted by neuroleptic drugs. Immunoreactivity of α-NG with choroid plexus epithelium in human post mortem samples suggests in vivo relevance of these findings. Finally, distinctly different staining patterns of antibodies against Neisseria meningitidis (α-NM), confirmed antibody specificity. To our knowledge this is the first report that α-NG cross-reactivity with Hsp60 and ATPB impairs mitochondrial activity in choroid plexus epithelial cells, pathogenetic relevance of which needs further clarification.

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Bacterial / immunology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chaperonin 60 / immunology*
  • Cross Reactions*
  • Humans
  • Mitochondria / metabolism*
  • Mitochondrial Proton-Translocating ATPases / immunology*
  • Neisseria gonorrhoeae / immunology*
  • Neisseria meningitidis / immunology

Substances

  • ATP5F1B protein, human
  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Chaperonin 60
  • Mitochondrial Proton-Translocating ATPases