Anti-LAMP-2 antibodies are not prevalent in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody glomerulonephritis

J Am Soc Nephrol. 2012 Mar;23(3):545-55. doi: 10.1681/ASN.2011030273. Epub 2011 Oct 21.

Abstract

Lysosomal membrane protein 2 (LAMP-2) is a target of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA) in addition to the more commonly known targets proteinase 3 and myeloperoxidase. The prevalence of anti-LAMP-2 antibodies and their relationship to disease in ANCA glomerulonephritis are not well described. We measured anti-LAMP-2 reactivity in 680 sera samples (two academic centers) from patients with ANCA glomerulonephritis (n=329); those with ANCA-negative glomerulonephritis (n=104); those with fimbriated, gram-negative Escherichia coli urinary tract infection (n=104); disease controls (n=19); and healthy volunteers (n=124). With levels in healthy controls used to define a reference range, anti-LAMP-2 reactivity was present in 21% of ANCA sera from two of the centers; reactivity was present in 16% of the control group with urinary tract infection. Western blotting and immunofluorescence microscopy did not verify positivity. Titers of anti-myeloperoxidase and anti-proteinase 3 antibodies were 1500-fold and 10,000-fold higher than anti-LAMP-2 titers, respectively. There was no correlation between anti-LAMP-2 antibodies and disease activity. Furthermore, Wistar Kyoto rats injected with anti-LAMP-2 antibodies did not develop glomerulonephritis. In conclusion, antibodies that react with LAMP-2 may exist at very low titers in a minority of patients with ANCA disease. These data do not support a mechanistic relationship between anti-LAMP-2 antibodies and ANCA glomerulonephritis.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / adverse effects
  • Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / blood*
  • Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic / blood*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Escherichia coli Infections / blood
  • Escherichia coli Infections / immunology*
  • Female
  • Glomerulonephritis / blood
  • Glomerulonephritis / etiology
  • Glomerulonephritis / immunology*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Kidney / cytology
  • Kidney / metabolism
  • Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 2 / immunology*
  • Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 2 / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myeloblastin / immunology
  • Peroxidase / immunology
  • Prevalence
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred WKY
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Urinary Tract Infections / blood
  • Urinary Tract Infections / immunology*
  • Urinary Tract Infections / microbiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic
  • Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic
  • Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 2
  • Peroxidase
  • Myeloblastin