HnRNP A1 is Involved in Deep Vein Thrombosis Patients with Behçet's Disease

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis originated from bioinformatics and literature reviews that hnNRP A1 may be a new immune target of Behçet's disease (BD). METHODS: First, bioinformatics was used to show the correlation between hnRNP A1 and A2/B1 in amino acid sequences and three dimensional structures. Second, hnRNP A1 was expressed, purified, and immunologically confirmed by systematic immunology methods including: Western blotting, immunoprecipitation and Dot-ELISA. Then, ELISA was used to screen the anti-hnRNP A1 autoantibodies in newly confirmed clinical samples and the clinical significance was compared between anti-hnRNP A1 antibody positive and negative groups. Finally, the endothelial cells antigen profile of one anti-hnRNP A1 antibody positive BD patient was detected using immunoprecipitation with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–TMS). RESULTS: In total 720 subjects enrolled and tested in this study. Our results demonstrated hnRNP A1 as a new immune target of BD. The reactivity of BD serum IgG antibodies against hnRNP A1 was significantly higher than healthy controls (P < 0.0001), and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) showed a significant higher in the anti-hnRNP A1 antibodies positive group (P < 0.05).