Journal of Clinical and Cellular Immunology
Open Access

Michael C. Levin

Publications

• Research Article
  Antibodies to an Intracellular Antigen Penetrate Neuronal Cells and Cause Deleterious Effects
  Author(s): Joshua N Douglas, Lidia A Gardner and Michael C LevinJoshua N Douglas, Lidia A Gardner and Michael C Levin
  
  Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that is increasingly being recognized as a neurodegenerative disorder. Patients with MS produce autoantibodies to heterogenous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNPA1). A multitude of studies indicate that T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes and macrophages contribute to MS pathogenesis. However, a direct autoantibody impact on neuronal cells has received limited attention. This could be explained by the general belief that autoantibodies lack the ability to penetrate neurons. hnRNP A1 is an intracellular RNA binding protein that exports RNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. In this study, we investigated possible mechanisms of antibody penetration into neuronal cells. Our results show that anti-hnRNP A1 antibodies and control IgG penetrate SK-N-SH neuronal cells through clathrin-mediated endocytosis. In contrast to control antibodies, anti-hnR.. View More»
  DOI: 10.4172/2155-9899.1000134

  Abstract PDF

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