Antibodies to Laminin

Abstract Laminins are major components of the basement membrane, forming essential contacts with cells and other components of the basal lamina, thereby inducing dynamic interactions in the tissue through intracellular signaling, promoting/regulating cell adhesion, spreading, and differentiation. Autoantibodies to laminin have been found in autoimmune disorders such as pemphigoids, rheumatic fever, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and cutaneous lupus erythematosus as well as in Chagas disease and in women with recurrent abortions and/or infertility. The antibodies bind mainly the LG domain of the α chain of laminin, and in some cases they seem to appear as a consequence of antigenic mimicry. Their pathogenic role and diagnostic value are currently being investigated.