%0 Journal Article
%T Characterization of a Lipoyl Domain-independent B-cell Autoepitope on the Human Branched-chain Acyltransferase in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis and Overlap Syndrome with Autoimmune Hepatitis
%A Antal Csepregi
%A Petra Obermayer-Straub
%A Susanne Kneip
%A Anne Kayser
%A Stephanie Loges
%A Eleonore Schmidt
%A Elem¨¦r Nemes¨¢nszky
%A Ferenc Szalay
%A Michael P. Manns
%A Christian P. Strassburg
%J Clinical and Developmental Immunology
%D 2003
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1080/10446670310001642159
%X Background and aims: Antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) which recognize pyruvate acetyltransferase (PDC-E2) represent a highly diagnostic feature of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). The analysis of immunofluorescence (IF)-AMA-positive sera in PBC patients indicates a conformational epitope located within the lipoyl binding domain of bovine branched-chain acyltransferase (BCKADC-E2) alone or in combination with AMA directed against PDC-E2 the significance of which is presently unclear. In the present study, immunoreactivities and disease associations of AMA against BCKADC-E2 were analyzed. B-cell autoepitopes on BCKADC-E2 were mapped by immunoprecipitation assay.
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/cdi/2003/207213/abs/