Identification of KRT16 as a target of an autoantibody response in complex regional pain syndrome

Abstract Objective Using a mouse model of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), our goal was to identify autoantigens in the skin of the affected limb. Methods A CRPS-like state was induced using the tibia fracture/cast immobilization model. Three weeks after fracture, hindpaw skin was homogenized, run on 2-d gels, and probed by sera from fracture and control mice. Spots of interest were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) and the list of targets validated by examining their abundance and subcellular localization. In order to measure the autoantigenicity of selected protein targets, we quantified the binding of IgM in control and fracture mice sera, as well as in co…