[Assessment of serum IgG activity correlation against cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, topoisomerase I and centromere proteins in Mexican patients with progressive systemic sclerosis]. / Evaluación de la correlación de la actividad de IgG sérica contra péptido citrulinado cíclico, topoisomerasa I y proteínas de centrómero en pacientes mexicanos con esclerosis sistémica progresiva.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate sera titers for antibodies anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide and their correlation against sera levels of anti-topoisomerase I and anti-centromere antibodies in Mexican patients with systemic sclerosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Consecutive outpatients with systemic sclerosis who attending to rheumatology clinic at a second level hospital facility. The antibodies anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide, anti-topoisomerase I and anti-centromere were determined by enzymatic immunoassay (ELISA). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Spearman for correlation between numerical variables with nonparametric distribution. Fisher exact test or chi2 to compare proportions and Student t test for dimensional variables. RESULTS: Thirty female patients were included; aged 53 +/- 13, the disease duration at the time of the study was 10 +/- 9. Twenty-three patients (77%) exhibited diffuse disease. Anti-centromere, anti-topoisomerase I, and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide were detected in nine, nine and three patients respectively. The correlation analysis showed the independence of autoantibodies anti-centromere and anti-topoisomerase I with respect to the levels of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the low frequency of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies in patients with systemic sclerosis. A lack of correlation between autoantibodies considered as "mutually excluded" anti-topoisomerase I and anti-centromere, indicating that the analysis of the relevance for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide in systemic sclerosis must include other clinical and serological variables.

Lipoprotein profile in limited systemic sclerosis.

The objective of this study was to determine the lipoprotein profile of limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (LcSSc). Fasting lipids were determined in 24 female patients and 24 healthy age-matched and sex-matched controls. Exclusion criteria were conditions that induce an altered lipid profile. Lipoprotein levels of risk were determined in accordance with the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP). Significantly lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (47.6+/-12.4 mg dL(-1) vs. 58.2+/-12.3 mg dL(-1); P=0.003) and total cholesterol (197.0+/-40.7 mg dL(-1) vs. 222.0+/-34.0 mg dL(-1); P=0.02) were observed in LcSSc patients than in controls. The presence of anti-centromere antibodies (ACA) was also associated with lower HDL levels (45.0+/-12.1 mg dL(-1)) compared to ACA-negative patients and controls (50.2+/-12.6 and 58.2+/-12.3 mg dL(-1), respectively, P=0.01). The only clinical variable associated with low HDL levels was pulmonary hypertension (PH) (33.6+/-2.3 mg dL(-1) vs. 49.6+/-11.9 mg dL(-1), P=0.01). No significant correlation was observed among HDL levels and ESR (r=-0.313; P=0.14), CRP (r=-0.296; P=0.16), or BMI (r=-0.263; P=0.21). Remarkably, a higher percentage of risk HDL levels was identified in LcSSc patients (41.6%) than in healthy controls (8.3%) (P=0.02). Our data suggest that LcSSc patients, particularly those who are ACA positive, have an adverse lipid profile characterized by low HDL levels, a known independent risk for CAD in women. The relevance of this finding for the development of atherosclerosis in this disease must be confirmed by epidemiological studies.

Autoantibodies in Parry-Romberg syndrome: a serologic study of 14 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine autoantibody profiles of patients with Parry-Romberg syndrome (PRS). METHODS: Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in 14 patients with PRS were studied by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), immunodiffusion and immunoblotting. Antinative DNA antibodies and rheumatoid factor (RF) were also analyzed. RESULTS: ANA were positive in 8 patients (57%). The patterns of staining included nucleolar, nuclear speckled and homogeneous. Anticentromere antibodies were observed in 2 and antihistone antibodies in 3 sera. Rheumatoid factor was found in 5 (36%) sera. Antinative DNA or antibodies that precipitated rabbit thymus extract were not found in any patients. CONCLUSION: The serologic abnormalities observed in this study suggests that autoimmunity could play a pathogenic role in PRS.

Especificidad molecular a proteínas CENP en sueros anti-centrómero / Molecular specificity to CENP proteins in anti-centromere sera

Se estudió la reactividad molecular a proteínas CENP, en sueros con especificidad anticentrómero, utilizando extractos de células HEp-2, por la técnica de Western blot, las bandas inmunorreactivas se revelaron por autorradiografía. En 1691 sueros en los que se determinaron anticuerpos, por inmunofluorescencia indirecta, 11 resultaron con patrón anti-centrómero, de éstos, siete reconocieron bandas de CENP en w. blot, los antígenos más frecuentes detectados fueron CENP-B y CENP-C. El estudio a nivel molecular constituye una alternativa fina para la determinación de la especificidad de los autoanticuerpos

The anticentromere antibody and carbon monoxide diffusing capacity in progressive systemic sclerosis

The authors studied the frequency and the clinical of ACA in 34 patients with PSS, 20 with inflammatory form and 14 with CREST variant. All of them were evaluated by ANA, ACA, pulmonary function study. Carbon monoxide diffusing capacity was studied in 19 patients. ACA occurred with a frequency of 50% in the group with non-inflammatory from and 20% in that with inflammatory form. However this difference wasn't statistically significant. Although patients with CREST syndrome and severe restrictive pulmonary disease were always ACA positive, there wasn't statistical significant correlation between ACA and pulmonary impairment evaluated by DLCO

Atividade biologica do anticorpo anticentrômero. Capacidade de fixaçäo de complemento / Biological activity of anticentromere antibody. Complement fixation capacity

Anticorpo anticentrômero (AAC) foi detectado em oito de nove pacientes com síndrome de CREST, num estudo de 105 pacientes com doenças difusas do tecido conectivo (DDTC) e 60 normais, por técnica de imunofluorescência indireta em células HEp-2. Quatro destes soros foram avaliados quanto a capacidade de fixaçäo de complemento, pela mesma técnica, porém revelando a reaçäo com anti-Ciq e anti C, marcados com fluoresceína. Todos os soros mostraram positividade da reaçäo apenas com anti-C3. Apesar do ensaio sugerir fixaçäo de complemento pela via alternativa, näo foram observadas alteraçöes do nível sérico do complemento. O estudo seriado de uma paciente tratada com D. penicilamina, demonstrou negativaçäo deste auto anticorpo após seis meses de tratamento. O estudo familiar, deste caso, revelou a presença de AAC em uma das filhas, que apresentava apenas fenômeno de Raynaud. Esses dados sugerem que AAC pode ter um papel de importância relevante no diagnóstico, e possivelmente na monitorizaçäo destes pacientes