Abnormal galactosylation of serum IgG in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and members of families with high frequency of autoimmune diseases

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Abstract
Gas chromatographic carbohydrate analyses of IgG from 30 patients with idiopathic systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) revealed lower content of galactose when compared to that in 36 controls of similar ages (mean ±SD, 3.18±0.66 vs 3.82±0.41 galactose residues/mole of IgG, PP≤0.001), but also in those without evidence of autoimmune diseases or abnormal serologies (P≤0.001). These data indicate that abnormal galactosylation of IgG frequently occurs in asymptomatic members of families with a high frequency of SLE and other autoimmune diseases and suggests that this abnormality may be an indicator for the development of these diseases.