Goodpasture syndrome: molecular architecture and function of basement membrane antigen.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J Wieslander.
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The glomerular basement membranes (GBM) of Alport familial nephritis (FN) are laminated and split and fail to bind Goodpasture autoantibodies by indirect immunofluorescence. The Goodpasture antigen has been localized to multiple peptides of the noncollagenous C terminal (NC1) domain of type IV collagen. The principal target antigen is a 28-kDa peptide (M28) that coisolates with type IV collagen NC1 and which is derived from a larger collagenous molecule. We have shown that two novel 28-kDa peptides found in normal GBM (M28M28+) are absent from collagenase digests of X-linked dominant Alport FN GBM and that monoclonal antibodies specific for these collagen chains fail to bind to Alport GBM. In normal tissue these chains have a distribution restricted to specific basement membranes of kidney, eye, inner ear, lung, and brain, the former three of which are affected in Alport FN. Epitopes on a 26-kDa NC1 peptide identified by an antibody from a transplanted Alport patient (FN antibody) colocalized with the 28-kDa components in these tissues. The FN antibody did not bind to the GBM of homozygous Alport males. Antibodies to the 28-kDa peptides and the FN antibody colocalized in a segmental pattern in heterozygous Alport GBM by indirect immunofluorescence and were unrelated to the normal distribution of type IV collagen. Three of eight homozygous Alport FN tissues showed the presence of the 28-kDa components in Bowman's capsule in a focal distribution, and in four of eight tissues reactive antigen was present in the cytoplasm of some parietal and visceral epithelial cells. These observations support the hypothesis that the genetic abnormality in Alport FN is a defective parent chain of the 26-kDa peptide, which results in failure of normal 28-kDa collagen chain integration.
The specificity of kidney-bound antibodies in Goodpasture's syndrome was studied and compared with the specificity of circulating anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibodies. Antibodies were eluted from kidneys of two patients with Goodpasture's syndrome and from one normal human kidney. Their specificity was studied by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy, ELISA and immunoblotting using purified GBM components as antigens. It was shown that the reactivity of the eluted antibodies was very similar to those of the circulating anti-GBM antibodies. Both showed major reactivity against the M2 subunit of the globular domain of collagen IV. Competitive inhibition of the binding of 125I-labelled serum antibodies from a patient with Goodpasture's syndrome to the Goodpasture antigen by the eluted antibodies and those from their respective sera further supported that the circulating and the kidney-bound anti-GBM antibodies have similar specificity. These observations extend the support to the clinical usage of plasmapheresis and more recently, immunoadsorption using staphylococcal protein A as the effective therapeutic measure for the removal of circulating anti-GBM antibodies in the management of Goodpasture's syndrome.
The organizational relationship between the recently identified alpha 3 chain of basement membrane collagen (Butkowski, R.J., Langeveld, J.P.M., Wieslander, J., Hamilton, J., and Hudson, B.G. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 7874-7877) and collagen IV was determined. This was accomplished by the identification of subunits in hexamers of the NC1 domain of collagen IV that were immunoprecipitated with antibodies prepared against subunits M1, corresponding to alpha 1(IV)NC1 and alpha 2(IV)NC1, and M2, corresponding to alpha 3NC1, and by amino acid sequence analysis. The presence of at least two distinct types of hexamers was revealed, one enriched in M1 and the other enriched in M2, but in both types, M1 and M2 coexist. Evidence was also obtained for the existence of heterodimers comprised of M1 and M2. These results indicate that M2 is an integral component of the NC1 hexamer of collagen IV. The amino acid sequence of the NH2-terminal region of M2 was found to be highly related to the collagenous-NC1 junctional region of the alpha 1 chain of collagen IV. Therefore, M2 is designated alpha 3(IV)NC1 and its parent chain alpha 3(IV). These findings lead to a new concept about the structure of collagen IV: namely, 1) collagen IV is comprised of a third chain (alpha 3) together with the two classical ones (alpha 1 and alpha 2); the alpha 3(IV) chain exists within the same triple-helical molecule together with the alpha 1(IV) and alpha 2(IV) chains and/or within a separate triple-helical molecule, exclusive of alpha 1(IV) and alpha 2(IV) chains, but connected through the NC1 domains to the classical triple-helical molecule comprised of alpha 1(IV) and alpha 2(IV) chains. Additionally, a portion of those triple-helical molecules exclusive of alpha 1(IV) and alpha 2(IV) chains may be connected to each other through their NC1 domains; and 3) the epitope to which the major reactivity of autoantibodies are targeted in glomerular basement membrane in patients with Goodpasture syndrome is localized to the NC1 domain of the alpha 3(IV) chain.
The noncollagenous domain of collagen from three different basement membranes of bovine origin (glomerular, lens capsule, and placental) was excised with bacterial collagenase, purified under nondenaturing conditions, and characterized. In each case the domain existed as a hexamer comprised of four distinct subunits (alpha 1 (IV) NC1, alpha 2 (IV) NC1, M2*, and M3). Each subunit exists in both monomeric and dimeric (disulfide-cross-linked) forms. Certain dimers also exist which contain nonreducible cross-links. The hexamers from the three membranes differ with respect to stoichiometry of subunits and subunit isoforms and to the degree of cross-linking of monomers into dimers. The minor subunits, M2* and M3, vary in quantity over a 20-fold range relative to the major ones among the three hexamers. The results indicate that: 1) at least two populations of triple-helical collagen molecules, differing in chain composition, exist in each membrane and that their relative proportions are tissue-specific; and 2) the chemical nature of the noncollagenous domain of these populations is tissue-specific with regard to subunit isoforms and relative proportion of reducible and nonreducible cross-links in dimers. A novel structural feature of the noncollagenous domain of basement membrane collagen was also evinced from these studies. Namely, that each of the four monomeric subunits exists in charge isoforms.
IgA antibodies from patients with primary IgA nephropathy bind to collagens I, II, and IV. Here we show that this binding is mediated by the collagen-binding site of fibronectin, which occurs in the circulation in complex with IgA. No antibodies binding directly to collagen were identified. The complexes were isolated by affinity chromatography on gelatin-Sepharose and heparin-Sepharose, both with affinity for fibronectin, followed by adsorption to anti-human IgA immobilized on agarose gel. The presence of fibronectin and IgA antibodies in the isolated complexes is shown by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, gel electrophoresis, and electrophoretic transfer followed by immunostaining. The presence of an IgA-fibronectin complex in serum and the binding of this complex to collagen demonstrate the necessity of removing fibronectin from serum prior to identifying anti-collagen antibodies.
Sera from patients with American cutaneous leishmaniasis and Chagas disease and from monkeys infected with either Trypanosoma cruzi or Trypanosoma rhodesiense show, in RIAs, strong binding to mouse laminin. A distinct although weaker binding activity is also detected in normal human sera. The antibodies recognize a common carbohydrate epitope present on mouse laminin, which was assigned to a terminal galactosyl(alpha 1-3)-galactose group. Distinct crossreactions were observed with some other basement membrane proteins, rabbit glycosphingolipids, defucosylated human B blood group substance and components produced by some human tumor cells. Only little activity was, however, found on laminin obtained from human placenta. The data indicate that the antibodies arising in infectious diseases are stimulated by similar carbohydrate epitopes present on the surface of parasites. Tissue-specific occurrence of such epitopes may exist and explain the involvement of distinct tissues in autoimmune disorders.
Protein A, a bacterial cell wall protein found in Staphylococcus aureus, has been widely used for the analysis of immunoglobulins. By attaching protein A to a microparticulate silica support, a rapid and efficient chromatographic sorbent has been created for the separation of monoclonal antibodies. Examples are given of rapid separations (within 10 min) of murine monoclonal antibodies, belonging to various IgG subclasses and including IgG1. The monoclonal antibodies were isolated with a high purity and with 60-90% recovery of activity. The high-performance liquid affinity chromatography technique based on protein A provides a useful method for monitoring monoclonal antibodies in crude samples, such as ascites and cell culture supernatants.
The chain origins of subunits M1, M2*, and M3 previously described (Butkowski, R. L., Wieslander, J., Wisdom, B.J., Barr, J.F., Noelken, M.E., and Hudson, B.G. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 3739-3747) of the globular domain of basement membrane collagen were identified, by amino-terminal amino acid sequence analysis, with respect to their relationship to the chains of collagen IV. M1 comprises two polypeptides which correspond to the noncollagenous segments (NC1) of the alpha 1 ad alpha 2 chains of collagen IV. M2*, containing the Goodpasture epitope, and M3 are distinct from these two constituents and from each other but have Gly-X-Y triplets and hydroxyproline at their amino terminus, reflecting the fact that each has a collagen chain origin. These results indicate the presence of two new collagen chains in basement membrane. These new chains appear to be integral components of collagen IV molecules. Alternatively, they could represent new molecular species of basement membrane collagen containing a globular domain, comprising M2* and M3, with physicochemical properties very similar to those of collagen IV.
The specificity of the anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibodies in experimental nephritis in sheep (Steblay's nephritis) was studied and compared with the specificity of antibodies in human anti-GBM nephritis (Goodpasture's syndrome). Sheep were injected monthly with isolated human GBM and antibody reactivities with isolated human and sheep GBM proteins were quantified with ELISA. Expectedly, the sheep had high titers of antibodies against several human GBM antigens. These antibodies remained for the most part in the circulation. In contrast, circulating antibody levels against sheep GBM antigens remained low for a long period of time, but a significant and progressive increase coincided with the development of acute nephritis. These antibodies accumulated in the kidneys of the nephritic sheep and could be eluted from diseased kidneys. They represent auto-antibodies immunologically cross-reacting with antigens of both sheep and human GBM. The specificity of auto-antibodies eluted from the kidneys was analyzed by immunoblotting and ELISA. The major populations reacted with one subunit, termed M2, of the globular domain of collagen IV. The same subunit contains the major antigen in Goodpasture's syndrome. It is concluded that the M2 subunit of the globular domain of collagen IV is recognized by IgG antibodies that primarily bind to the glomerular basement membrane in both Steblay's nephritis and Goodpasture's syndrome, indicating that it is a main nephritogen in both diseases.
Sera from two patients with primary anti-tubular-basement-membrane-mediated tubulointerstitial nephritis, one a renal allograft recipient and the other with spontaneous anti-tubular-basement-membrane disease, were analyzed for the specificity of their autoantibodies. Both sera had circulating antibodies that reacted by ELISA with extracts of tubular basement membrane from several species, but failed to react significantly with extracts of glomerular basement membrane. Reactive antigen was solubilized with 6 M guanidine-HCl, 6 M urea, with reduction and alkylation, and with sodium dodecylsulfate. Digestion of the basement membrane with collagenase released relatively small quantities of antigen from the membrane, and trypsin and pepsin destroyed its antigenicity. The antigenic activity was characterized with respect to its size distribution by gel filtration and by immuno-overlay analysis of protein blots. Collectively, the results indicate that the major reactivity of both sera is directed towards a Mr 58,000 component that is unique to the tubular basement membrane. Minor reactivities toward high molecular weight components common to both glomerular and tubular basement membranes were detected by immuno-overlay analysis. This study identifies an antigen that is involved in human anti-tubular-basement-membrane-mediated tubulointerstitial nephritis, and demonstrates an advantage of the use of denaturing extraction over proteolytic methods to prepare the antigen.
The glomerular basement membrane antigen involved in Goodpasture syndrome was purified from human kidneys. The antigen was solubilized by collagenase digestion and purified by ion exchange chromatography, gel filtration and reversed phase HPLC. The monomer proteins (M1, M2*, and M3) were immunochemically compared with the corresponding bovine monomers and appeared to be identical. The Goodpasture reactivity was localized to the same monomer (M2*) as in bovine material. It could also be shown that eight out of nine patients with Goodpasture syndrome had circulating antibodies reacting with a crude collagenase digest of human glomerular basement membrane that could be inhibited by the active monomer peptide. The ninth patient had, besides antibodies to this peptide, antibodies to the 7S domain of type IV collagen. Further immunochemical studies indicate that all patients sera recognize the same site(s) on the monomer protein. Thus the major antigenic determinant(s) of Goodpasture syndrome resides in monomer M2* which is a constituent of the globular domain of collagen IV.
It has recently been shown that patients with IgA nephropathy have circulating IgA antibodies against extracts of human glomerular basement membrane. The present study extends those observations and demonstrates by using ELISA and immunoblotting techniques that patients with IgA nephropathy have circulating IgA antibodies against collagen IV alpha chains. The antigenicity of the alpha chains could be destroyed by digestion with collagenase, which indicates that the antigenic site(s) is located on the triple helical part of collagen IV. Furthermore, it was shown by inhibition tests that the IgA antibodies are directed against epitopes also present in collagen I and II isolated after pepsin digestion.
A sensitive and simplified competitive binding enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed for quantification of urinary albumin. It was found that, probably because of a high antibody dilution, a conventional ELISA with three incubation steps could be simplified to an assay with only one incubation step without losing sensitivity or precision. The technical conditions of the assay are described. Albumin was coated to the walls of polystyrene microtitre plates. Diluted urine was mixed with rabbit antiserum against albumin and then with alkaline phosphatase conjugated anti-rabbit immunoglobulins. The mixture was then incubated in the microtitre plate for 3 h. After washing the plate, substrate was added and the enzyme activity was measured. Detection limit of the assay was 15 micrograms/l or 1.5 ng. The intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 6 and 9%, respectively. The range of 24-h excretion of urinary albumin in apparently healthy subjects was 0.6-27.2 mg.
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The agarose-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis procedure for the analysis of proteoglycans originally described by C. A. McDevitt and H. Muir (1971, Anal. Biochem. 44, 612-622) has been modified to minimize trailing and to allow the analysis of crude samples, i.e., tissue extracts. A slab gel system was used, permitting reproducible analysis of many samples. Procedures are described that can be used to separate and quantify several subpopulations of proteoglycans and also to quantify the proportion of proteoglycans capable of aggregating with hyaluronic acid. Applications of the procedure include transfer to nitrocellulose paper followed by immunological detection of proteoglycans as well as fluorography of separated, radiolabeled proteoglycans.
The globular domain of type IV collagen from bovine glomerular basement membrane was isolated under nondenaturing conditions. It was shown to exist in a hexameric form comprising monomeric and dimeric subunits, with the Goodpasture antigen residing in monomer M2 and dimer D2 as previously described (Butkowski, R. J., Wieslander, J., Wisdom, B. J., Barr, J. F., Noelken, M. E., and Hudson, B. G. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 3739-3747). The epitope, however, is sequestered inside the hexamer, but becomes exposed and binds with the Goodpasture antibody upon dissociation of the hexamer into its subunits after treatment with concentrated guanidine HC1 or dilute acetic acid (pH less than 3.0). The process is completely reversible even from the denatured state. Circular dichroism studies show that the conformation of each subunit is unusually resistant to change in 6 M guanidine HC1 at 25 degrees C. This suggests that exposure of the epitope by dissociation requires minimal or no unfolding of subunits. The results provide additional evidence for localization of the Goodpasture antigen to the globular domain of type IV collagen. Moreover, these studies extend the conclusion (Weber, H., Engel, J., Wiedemann, H., Glanville, R., and Timpl, R. (1984) Eur. J. Biochem. 139, 401-410) about a tumor basement membrane, to an authentic physiological membrane, that the globular domain is a major cross-linking site in the type IV collagen matrix.
The globular domain of type IV collagen from bovine glomerular basement membrane was solubilized by collagenase digestion. Components of this domain include several monomer-size and structurally related dimer-size polypeptides. The monomer-size polypeptides were resolved into three fractions (M1, M2, and M3) with slightly different mobilities upon sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (nonreduced Mr = 24,500-28,300). Chemical and immunochemical studies indicate that each is a distinct component. M2 is reactive with antibodies from patients with Goodpasture syndrome. The molecular weight by sedimentation equilibrium was 32,000 for M2 and 28,000 for M1. The dimers were characterized as two classes, D1 and D2. D1 consists of two sets of nonreactive components (D1a-d and D1a,c) whereas D2 contains one set of four components (D2a-d), each of which is reactive with Goodpasture sera. Chemical and immunochemical studies indicate that a monomer-dimer relationship exists between M1 and D1 and between M2 and D2. The origin of M3 remains undetermined. Rabbit antibodies to type IV collagen alpha chains react with M1 and M2, and antibodies to M1 and M2 react with type IV collagen alpha chains, which provides additional evidence for the localization of the Goodpasture antigen to one of the chains of type IV collagen.