Lipid rafts are specialized plasma membrane microdomains that serve as platforms for integrating cellular signal transductions. We have recently reported that
autoantibodies against cardiac
membrane proteins are present in patients with
postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). In this study, we examined the presence of autoimmunoreactive IgGs against
lipid raft
proteins in these patients. IgGs were purified from the sera of 10 patients and 7 normal controls. Cardiac
lipid raft preparations were isolated from normal human heart tissue. The
lipid raft-associated
proteins were resolved by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunoblotted against IgGs from each subject.
Protein spots that reacted specifically with patient IgGs were identified by nano-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry. Thirty-four such
protein spots, and 72 unique
proteins were identified. The targets of autoimmunoreactive IgGs include
proteins associated with caveolae structure,
adrenergic signaling, calcium signaling, cytostructures, chaperone and energy metabolism. Multiple pathways were involved including those that regulate caveolae-mediated signaling, oxidative phosphorylation,
fatty acid metabolism,
protein ubiquitination, and cardiac β-
adrenergic signaling. Our results suggest that cardiac
lipid raft-associated
proteins are targets of autoimmunoreactive IgGs from patients with POTS. Autoimmunity may play a role in the pathogenesis of POTS.