Anti-pentraxin antibodies in autoimmune systemic diseases: Focus on anti-pentraxin-3 autoantibodies

ABSTRACT

Pentraxins are soluble pattern recognition molecules implicated not only in the opsonization and removal of microorganisms but also in the clearance of modified self (i.e., dying cells). Pentraxins can be classified into short pentraxins (C-reactive protein and serum amyloid-P component) and long pentraxins with pentraxin-3 (PTX3), the prototypic one of the latter. Pentraxins are involved in various physiological or pathophysiological processes such as inflammation and autoimmunity. A breakdown in immune tolerance to pentraxins has been reported in various autoimmune diseases. In the present review, we analyzed the current knowledge concerning anti-pentraxin antibodies, with a special focus on anti-PTX3 autoantibodies.

KEYWORDS:

• Pentraxins
• pentraxin-3
• anti-pentraxin autoantibodies
• autoimmune diseases
• biomarkers

Acknowledgments

We sincerely acknowledge Simon Blanchard, Erwan Garo, and Pascale Pignon (Inserm unit, UMR 892, Angers, France; CNRS, UMR 6299), Dr Amélie Simon and Dr Céline Onno (Nephrology Department, Angers University) for having contributed to the study of anti-pentraxin antibodies.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Funding

This work was supported by institutional grants (Inserm, University of Angers and GIRCI Grand Ouest) and a grant from the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (project Pentraximmune).