Identification of Moesin as a Novel Autoantigen in Patients with Sjögren's Syndrome

Abstract

Background: SjOgren's Syndrome (SS) is a systemic and chronic autoimmune disorder that affects the exocrine glands with massive autoantibody production. Although the pathogenesis of the disorder is incompletely understood, but some studies have reported that anti-moesin antibodies have been detected in autoimmune diseases with which SS is closely associated. Here, we have investigated moesin's potential involvement in SS.

Objective: This study aims to verify whether moesin is a specific autoantigen involved in Chinese Hans SS patients.

Methods: First, recombinant human moesin was expressed and purified. Next, the protein was verified as antigen by Western blotting and immunoprecipitation. The positive protein band in the immunoprecipitation was identified by (MALDI-TOF/TOF). Finally, an optimized ELISA (Enzyme- Linked Immunosorbent Assay) kit was developed to measure the titer concentration of anti-moesin antibody-positive patients in a large cohort of clinical subjects.

Results: Univariate analysis revealed that the proportion of individuals positive for serum IgG against recombinant human moesin was 42 % in a group of Chinese Hans SS patients (21 of 50), 22 % in systemic lupus erythematosus patients and (11 of 50), compared to only 4 % in healthy controls (2 of 50).

Conclusion: An association between anti-moesin antibodies and SS manifestation have been found which may be considered a suspected serum biomarker for the development of SS.

Keywords: Autoantibody; Sjögren's syndrome; anti-moesin antibodies; autoantigen; autoimmune disorder; moesin..