Armando Gabrielli

Objective The etiopathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) is unknown. Platelet‐derived growth factor receptors (PDGFRs) are overexpressed in patients with SSc. Because PDGFRα is targeted by the adeno‐associated virus type 5 (AAV5), we investigated whether AAV5 forms a complex with PDGFRα exposing epitopes that may induce the immune responses to the virus–PDGFRα complex. Methods The binding of monomeric human PDGFRα to the AAV5 capsid was analyzed by in silico molecular docking, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and genome editing of the PDGFRα locus. AAV5 was detected in SSc lungs by in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy, and molecular analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. Immune responses to AAV5 and PDGFRα were evaluated by SPR using SSc monoclonal anti‐PDGFRα antibodies and immunoaffinity‐purified anti‐PDGFRα antibodies from sera of patients with SSc. Results AAV5 was detected in the BAL fluid of 41 of 66 patients with SSc with interstitial lung disease (62.1%) and in 17 of 66 controls (25.75%) ( P < 0.001). In SSc lungs, AAV5 localized in type II pneumocytes and in interstitial cells. A molecular complex formed of spatially contiguous epitopes of the AAV5 capsid and of PDGFRα was identified and characterized. In silico molecular docking analysis and binding to the agonistic anti‐PDGFRα antibodies identified spatially contiguous epitopes derived from PDGFRα and AAV5 that interacted with SSc agonistic antibodies to PDGFRα. These peptides were also able to bind total IgG isolated from patients with SSc, not from healthy controls. Conclusion These data link AVV5 with the immune reactivity to endogenous antigens in SSc and provide a novel element in the pathogenesis of SSc. image