Increased prevalence and coincidence of antinuclear and antithyroid antibodies in the population exposed to high levels of polychlorinated pollutants cocktail.

OBJECTIVES: Because of well known association between the exposure to persistent organochlorinated pollutants (POPs) and impaired immune system, it was attempted to check possible coincidence of nuclear and thyroperoxidase antibodies with the levels of major POPs. METHODS: Antinuclear antibodies. (ANA) were estimated by indirect immunofluorescence test using Hep2- cells and thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPOab) by electrochemiluminiscent immunoassay in the cohort of 253 adults (82 males and 171 females) aged 21-75 years, among them 144 (46 males and 98 females) from the area polluted (POLL) by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and 109 (36 males and 73 females) from the area of background pollutrion (BCGR). In the same cohort fifteen congeners of PCB and also total DDE (2,2'-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were estimated by high resolution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Prevalence of ANA only was significantly higher in POLL than in BCGR in males (p < 0.001) and females (p < 0.001) and the same was true for the prevalence of TPOab in males (p < 0.05) and females (p < 0.01) from POLL. In addition, also the prevalence of coincident ANA+TPOab in males (p < 0.001) and females (p < 0.05) was significantly higher in POLL. In a total of 253 pooled males and females from both areas and stratified in terms of PCB level quintiles. The prevalence of ANA in the 4th and 5th quintile of each among three pollutants (PCB, DDE and HCB) was significantly higher (p < 0.01 or < 0.001) and showed the parallel increase with the level of all pollutants. CONCLUSIONS: Significantly increased prevalence of ANA either only or in coincidence with TPOab was found related to increasing level of PCB, DDE and HCB.

Juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: different clinical and serological pattern than adult-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate differences in clinical signs and symptoms, and in antinuclear antibodies (ANA), between patients with juvenile-onset and adult-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: Clinical and serological data of 56 patients with juvenile-onset SLE were compared with data of 194 patients with adult-onset SLE. ANA were determined by line immunoassay and by indirect immunofluorescence on Crithidia luciliae. RESULTS: Renal involvement, encephalopathy and haemolytic anaemia were seen, and anti-dsDNA, anti-ribosomal P and antihistone antibodies found, significantly more often in juvenile-onset SLE. Anti-dsDNA antibodies were directly associated, and anti-ribosomal P antibodies inversely associated, with renal involvement in juvenile-onset SLE. In juvenile patients with SLE and anti-dsDNA and without anti-ribosomal P antibodies the odds ratio for glomerulonephritis was 9.00; no patients with anti-ribosomal P but without anti-dsDNA had renal involvement. CONCLUSION: Patients with juvenile-onset SLE more often have renal involvement and encephalopathy than patients with adult-onset SLE. Anti-ribosomal P, anti-dsDNA and antihistone antibodies are more often found in patients with juvenile-onset SLE.

Specific antinuclear antibodies are associated with clinical features in systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVES: To study associations between antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and signs/symptoms in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: A consecutive cohort of 289 patients with SLE was included; 235 fulfilled ACR criteria for SLE and were further analysed. ANA profiles were determined by line immunoassay and by indirect immunofluorescence on Crithidia luciliae. An extensive list of signs/symptoms was evaluated. RESULTS: Five clusters of antibodies were defined by cluster analysis: 1-antibodies to SmB, SmD, RNP-A, RNP-C, and RNP-70k; 2-antibodies to Ro52, Ro60, and SSB; 3, 4, and 5-antibodies to ribosomal P, histones and dsDNA, respectively. Significant associations (p< or =0.01) were found between anti-RNP-70k, anti-RNP-A, anti-RNP-C and Raynaud's phenomenon, between anti-RNP-A, anti-RNP-70k and leucopenia, and between anti-RNP-A, anti-RNP-C and a lower prevalence of urine cellular casts. Anti-SSA, anti-SSB were associated with xerostomia, and anti-SSB with pericarditis. Antibodies to ribosomal P were associated with haemolytic anaemia, leucopenia, and alopecia. Patients with anti-dsDNA antibodies had a higher risk for cellular casts and a lower risk for photosensitivity. Antihistone antibodies were associated with arthritis. CONCLUSIONS: In a large and consecutive cohort of patients with SLE, clusters of antibodies were identified. Previously reported associations of antibodies with symptoms were confirmed and new associations found.

Prevalence of autoantibodies against structure specific recognition protein 1 in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Antibodies (Abs) against the structure specific recognition protein 1 (SSRP1) were reported in a small systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) series but not in other systemic autoimmune diseases. The aim of the study was to confirm the selective presence of anti-SSRP1 Abs in a larger SLE series and to evaluate their relationship with disease activity and other immune markers. Anti-SSRP1 Abs were investigated by a 'home made' ELISA in: 120 SLE, 65 rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 51 systemic sclerosis (SSc), 23 Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) and 40 idiopathic autoimmune urticaria (IAU) patients and 190 healthy controls. Sera from MRL lpr/lpr and Balb-c mice were also tested. Anti-SSRP1 Abs were detected in 43 SLE (35.8%), nine SSc (17.6%), eight RA (12.3%), six IAU (15%), three CSS (13%) patients and five healthy controls (2.6%). Antibody prevalence and titers were significantly higher in SLE patients than in sera from both normal and disease controls. Anti-SSRP1 Ab activity was also detected in sera from MRL lpr/lpr but not Balb-c mice. The antibodies did not correlate with the disease activity evaluated as the ECLAM index score and were more prevalent in patients without renal involvement. No correlation was found with other serum autoantibodies. Our results confirm that anti-SSRP1 Abs are associated with but not specific for the lupus disease.

Prolactin levels and autoantibodies in female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

We investigated the relationships between prolactin (PRL) levels and antibody occurrence in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). No significant association between PRL levels and the majority of the autoantibodies studied (anti-U1 RNP, anti-rRNP, anti-Sm, anti-dsDNA, anti-DNP, auto-LCA, anti-EACA) could be confirmed (P > 0.05), anti-Ro/SSA antibodies being an exception. Our results showed significantly increased frequencies of these antibodies in the group of female SLE patients with normal PRL levels (< 20 micrograms/L): anti Ro/SSA in 53% (P < 0.025, chi 2 = 5.80, RR = 4.0) and anti-Ro/SSA + anti-Ro/La in 60% (P < 0.05, chi 2 = 4.05) compared with female SLE patients with hyperprolactinemia.

[Effect of histone on hematopoietic stem cells (CFU-S) in normal and irradiated organism]. / Vozdeistvie gistona na krovetvornye kletki-predshestvenniki (KOEs) normal'nogo i obluchennogo organizma.

Radiotherapeutic activity of histone fractions H1 and H2A/H2B were studied. It was demonstrated that both fractions are able to reduce the damaging effect of ionizing radiation on spleen colony forming unit (CFU-S) population. Histone preparations stimulated colony-forming activity of bone marrow cells exposed to dose of 0.5-3.0 Gy both in the case of incubation with preparations and intravenous or intraperitoneal administration into recipients of irradiated cells. The effect of histones and accessory thymocytes on CFU-S population is compared.

[New findings on the immunologic diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus]. / Nové poznatky v imunologickej diagnostike systémového lupus erythematosus.

The authors review recent findings pertaining to the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. It was revealed that knowledge of impaired humoral and cellular immunity is of great practical importance and substantially improves the prognosis of the disease.

Inhibiting effect of charged polymers on interaction of human lupus autoantibodies with certain intracellular proteins.

The influence of charged polymers on the reaction of immunoglobulins from human lupus sera with cellular proteins was investigated in this study. Through immunoblotting it was shown that polyanions (dextran sulfate, heparin, polyinosinic acid) and polylysine inhibited autoantibody binding to several polypeptides of different molecular mass. Using immunofluorescent staining with affinity isolated monospecific autoantibodies it was demonstrated that the immunoreactivity of two nuclear antigens (p30 and p85) and one cytoplasmic antigen (p40) was sensitive to the presence of charged polymers. The inhibiting effect correlated with the concentration of the polymers. The data obtained suggested the competitive mechanism of inhibition of autoantibody-protein reaction by the charged polymers.

High prevalence of circulating antibodies to MuLV p30 antigen in human sera. An autoimmune response?

To study the possible involvement of a murine leukemia virus (MuLV) related agent in human cancer, an extensive immunoblotting analysis of human sera (cancer, autoimmune as well as control normal ones) for the presence of antibodies to MuLV structural proteins was performed. Out of 350 sera, 89 reacted with gag precursor Pr65, 72 reacted with major viral core protein p30 and five with the matrix protein p15. Antibody reactivity to the env-encoded glycoprotein gp70 was detected in 7 cases out of 16 sera tested. There were no significant differences between pathological and normal sera concerning the patterns and the frequency of the reactivity. Sera from patients with various malignancies (mainly with breast cancer) generally displayed more intensive signals to MuLV p30 than normal sera. Epitope mapping revealed that MuLV p30-reactive antibodies recognize an antigenic determinant(s) located at the carboxyterminus of the protein.

[Autoantibodies against histones and actin determined by western blotting in patients with rheumatic diseases]. / Autoprotilátky proti histonum a aktinu u nemocných s revmatickými onemocneními urcené metodou western blotu.

Using the Western blot method, the authors analyzed 85 sera obtained from patients with rheumatic diseases, focused on the presence of antihistones and antiactin autoantibodies. The authors detected a 32% incidence of the two investigated autoantibody specificities. In a group of 42 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in 22 sera (52%) positive antihistone antibodies were present, whereby autoantibodies anti-H1 and anti-H2B were most frequent. In 15 sera in this group of patients (36%) antiactin autoantibodies were present.

[Detection of antibodies to submitochondrial particles, F1-ATPase complex and liver specific lipoprotein in liver diseases using ELISA]. / Detekce protilátek proti submitochondriálnym cásticím, F1-ATP-ázovému komplexu a jaternímu specifickému lipoproteínu u jaterních onemocnení pomocí ELISA.

ELISA was elaborated for the determination of antibodies against liver antigen complexes--submitochondrial particles, F1-ATPase and liver specific lipoprotein. The parameters achieved so far allow to use the assay as an undemanding complementary laboratory technique in diagnosing and monitoring hepatopathies of autoimmune origin. Cross reactivity between individual antigen complexes was recorded in the majority of sera from positively reacting patients. The preliminary results show that individual antigen complexes have similar antigen structures bound to high-molecular membrane complexes, some of which, however, can be solubilized on maintaining antigen activity in ELISA.

[Beta-2-microglobulin and ankylosing spondylitis]. / Beta-2-mikroglobulín a akylozujúca spondylitída.

Serum beta-2-microglobulin was examined by radioimmunoassay in 103 patients with ankylosing spondylitis and 111 healthy blood-donors. Statistically significant difference between the group of patients and healthy individuals was found related to increased levels of this protein in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Furthers correlation analysis of beta-2-microglobulin in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and chosen clinical and humoral parameters of the disease activity was performed. Positive, statistically significant correlation with erythrocyte sedimentation rate, plasmatic gamma globulins, duration of morning stiffness and global activity of the disease was proved. Higher levels of beta-2-microglobulin in patients with ankylosing spondylitis could be attributed to activation of monocyte macrophages system in subpopulation of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, which might be the evidence of the involvement of cytotoxic-T cell mechanisms in the pathogenesis of this disease.

[Antibodies to Klebsiella pneumoniae in ankylosing spondylitis]. / Protilátky proti Klebsiella pneumoniae pri ankylozujúcej spondylitíde.

The authors investigated the incidence of antibodies against Klebsiella pneumoniae and E. coli in a group of patients with ankylosing spondylitis and in a group of healthy controls in all main immunoglobulin classes. The results revealed that in patients with ankylosing spondylitis there is a significantly higher incidence of specific antibodies of class IgA against Klebsiella pneumoniae and E. coli. This supports the thesis on the aetiopathogenetic interrelationship between enteric bacteria and the development of ankylosing spondylitis.

Antibodies against ss-DNA in persons of various age.

Antibodies against denatured, single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid were measured in the sera of children, young adults and old persons by means of a solid phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using a peroxidase-labelled second antibody. Considerable amounts of anti-deoxyribonucleic acid antibodies were found in subjects in all the age groups studied. Mean serum activity in children and old persons was two times as high as that in young adults. Close correlation was observed in old age between the level of antibodies against single-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid and disorders of lipid metabolism, namely hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia. Based on their finding that substantial quantities of antibodies of the above type appear to be present in healthy humans at different stages of ontogenesis, the authors suggest these autoantibodies may play, in addition to pathological, some physiological role.