Human gastric H,K-adenosine triphosphatase beta-subunit is a major autoantigen in atrophic corpus gastritis. Expression of the recombinant human glycoprotein in insect cells

BACKGROUND: Sera from patients with atrophic corpus gastritis with pernicious anemia frequently contain parietal cell autoantibodies. We have previously demonstrated that the human H,K-adenosine triphosphatase (H,K-ATPase) alpha-subunit constitutes a major autoantigen. The present study investigates whether the human H,K-ATPase beta-subunit is an autoantigen, too, METHODS: The gene of the human beta-subunit was expressed in insect cells by a baculovirus expression system. The reactivity of sera from 42 patients towards the recombinant glycoprotein was analyzed by means of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Thirty-nine of the 42 sera (93%) scored positive. Autoantibody binding in 41 sera (98%) was eliminated when unglycosylated beta-subunit was used as antigen, and antibody binding in the last serum was decreased by 30%. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the beta-subunit is indeed a major autoantigen and that carbohydrates are involved in binding of the autoantibodies.