The production of cross-reactive autoantibodies that bind to bovine serum albumin in mice administered reducing sugars by subcutaneous injection

INTRODUCTION: In a previous study, we identified the formation of cross-reactive autoantibodies that bound to bovine serum albumin (BSA) in a D-galactose-induced aging mouse model. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, we investigated the effect of other reducing sugars (namely, glucose and fructose) on the formation of autoantibodies. The effects of concentration and route of administration on the formation of autoantibodies were examined in detail. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three concentrations (100, 500, and 1,000 mg/kg) of reducing sugars were tested. The effects of different routes of administration (subcutaneous, oral, and intraperitoneal) on the formation of autoantibodies were also analysed. The immunoreactivities of serum samples from mice treated with reducing sugars were analysed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using BSA or mouse serum albumin antigens (MSA). RESULTS: Repeated subcutaneous administration of all reducing sugars lead to autoantibody formation in a concentration-dependent manner. However, these autoantibodies did not cross-react with MSA, and simultaneous treatment of aminoguanidine with reducing sugars did not show any inhibitory effects on the formation of autoantibodies. No autoantibodies were detected after oral or intraperitoneal administration of reducing sugars. Immunohistochemistry data showed that the target antigen(s) of the autoantibodies were present only in the skin tissue of mice treated with reducing sugars. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that administration of reducing sugars by subcutaneous injection leads to the formation of autoantibodies that cross-react with BSA; the formation and target antigen(s) of the autoantibodies may originate from within the skin tissue treated with the reducing sugars.