C-Type Virus Expression in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract

Kidneys from patients with lupus nephropathy, non-lupus immune-complex glomerulonephritis and other renal diseases were examined by indirect immunofluorescence for antigens related to a C-type virus from human cells (HEL-12 virus). All 11 specimens of lupus nephropathy contained HEL-12 virus antigens deposited in the same pattern as the immune complexes. The intensity of immunofluorescence with anti-HEL-12 virus serum correlated with the extent of immune-complex deposition. In contrast, nine renal lesions other than lupus nephropathy and seven normal tissues did not react with anti-HEL-12 virus serum. Antibody eluted from one kidney with lupus nephropathy reacted by indirect immunofluorescence with human and dog cells infected with HEL-12 virus but not with uninfected control cells. These findings demonstrate a specific association of lupus nephropathy with a C-type viral antigen that is deposited as antigen-antiviral antibody complex.

Biological and Antigenic Characteristics of HEL-12 Virus

“…Antiserum, specific for gp7o of Friend murine leukaemia virus (FLV), was also prepared by Dr Sch~ifer and co-workers (Sch~ifer et al 1975) and kindly provided by Dr R. Kurth (Max Planck Institute, Ttibingen, West Germany). Anti-SiSV(SSAV) was raised by hyperimmunization of a rabbit with NP-4o-disrupted virus grown in 7I-AP-I cells (Panem et al 1976). The antiserum has been characterized by immunoprecipitation followed by PAGE and shown to react with the virus gp7o, p3o and px5(E ).…”

Search for type‐c oncornavirus–related genetic information in tissues from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

“…The dehonst;ation of Cype-C oncornavirus involvement in the pathogenesis Of glomerulonephritis in New Zealand mice (28,29) has led to speculation that this class of virus may be involved in human disease, although more recent studies in mice have contested this association (30,3 1). Indirect evidence in support of this hypothesis has been based on immuneSubmitted for publication May 17, 1978; accepted July 6, chemical studies reporting the presence Of type-C oncornavirus proteins in spleens (32), peripheral lym-phocytes (33), and renal glomeruli (34,35) of patients with SLE, as well as the presence of specific anti-type-C viral antibodies in renal tissues (35,36).…”

“…More definitive evidence of type-C virus presence would be provided by finding DNA provirus copies in SLE tissues (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)14). We therefore addressed the question of type-C involvement in SLE by hybridizing DNA from various tissues with recycled DNA probes that were made from two type-C strains related to those implicated by immunochemical studies (32)(33)(34)(35)(36).…”

Restricted HEL-12 Virus Infection in de novo Infected Human and Canine Cells

“…Nonidet P40 (NP40)-disrupted SiSV(SSAV) was used to prepare rabbit anti-SiSV(SSAV) as described previously (Panem et aL, 1976). Preimmune rabbit serum was collected prior to all immunizations.…”