Induction of humoral responses specific for paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration-associated antigen by whole recombinant yeast immunization.

Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD) is a potent autoimmune disorder in which antigen-driven responses toward the onconeural antigen are assumed to occur in patients. Yeast cell wall has adjuvant capacity and provides immunostimulatory effects of the antigen expressing in viable cells. The recombinant yeast expressing the PCD-associated antigen may become an immunogen for inducing PCD-associated autoimmunity in mice. We attempted to induce autoimmune responses with whole recombinant yeast expressing PCD-associated antigen. SJL/J strain of mouse is found to be a responder to the major epitope on the antigen for anti-Purkinje cell antibodies, and whole recombinant yeast could induce cellular and humoral autoimmune responses in vivo ion SJL/J mice. The immunization technique based on the recombinant yeast expressing a PCD-associated antigen provides a new tool for analyzing the underlying immunological pathomechanisms of PCD.