Mucosal Autoimmunity to Cell-Bound GP2 Isoforms Is a Sensitive Marker in PSC and Associated With the Clinical Phenotype

Zymogen granule glycoprotein 2 (GP2) was demonstrated as first autoimmune mucosal target in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) associated with disease severity. Autoantibodies to four GP2 isoforms (aGP2 1−4 ) were found in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases but reactivity against specific GP2 epitopes has not been investigated in PSC yet. Hence, the prevalence of aGP2 1−4 and their association with the PSC phenotype for risk prediction were examined. Methods: GP2 isoforms were stably expressed as glycosylphosphatidyl - inositol-anchored molecules in the membrane of HEp-2 cells and used as autoantigenic targets in indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). aGP2 1−4 IgA and IgG were detected by IFA in 212 PSC patients of four European university hospitals and 145 controls comprising 95 patients with cystic fibrosis and 50 healthy subjects. Results: Combined aGP2 1 and aGP2 4 IgA testing with a sensitivity of 66.0% and a specificity of 97.9% resulted in the best diagnostic performance (Youden index: 0.64) regarding all aGP2 and combinations thereof. aGP2 4 IgA positivity is significantly associated with the presence of cirrhosis in PSC ( p = 0.0056). Logistic regression revealed the occurrence of aGP2 1 IgA (odds ratio [OR] 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03–1.86) and aGP2 4 IgA (OR 1.52, 95%CI: 1.07–2.15) along with male gender (OR 0.51, 95%CI: 0.27–0.97) and older age (OR 1.03 95%CI: 1.01–1.05) as significant risks for the concomitant presence of cirrhosis in PSC. Conclusions: Combined aGP2 1 and aGP2 4 IgA analysis is preferred to single aGP2 isoform analysis for sensitive PSC autoantibody testing. Positivity for aGP2 1 and aGP2 4 IgA is associated with cirrhosis in PSC and could be used for risk stratification.