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Counterimmunoelectrophoresis, ELISA and immunoblotting detection of anti‐Ro/SSA antibodies in subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus. A comparative study
Author(s) -
Aurora Parodi,
Massimo Drosera,
Loris Barbieri,
Alfredo Rebora
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2133.1998.02035.x
Subject(s) - counterimmunoelectrophoresis , antibody , anti nuclear antibody , medicine , subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus , immunofluorescence , antigen , lupus erythematosus , microbiology and biotechnology , autoantibody , immunology , connective tissue disease , virology , biology , autoimmune disease
Patients with subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) have circulating antibodies to Ro/SSA directed to two antigenically distinct ribonucleoproteins of 60 kDa and 52 kDa. Three laboratory tests may be used to detect anti‐Ro/SSA antibodies: counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE), enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblotting (IB). Their relative efficacy and clinical correlations were ascertained. We determined anti‐Ro/SSA antibodies with CIE, with two different ELISA methods (ELISA 1 and 2) and with IB in 29 SCLE patients. Anti‐52 kDa and ‐60 kDa Ro/SSA antibodies were also assayed with IB. In addition, we determined antinuclear antibodies with indirect immunofluorescence, anti‐Sm, anti‐RNP, anti‐La/SSB and anti‐Ro/SSA antibodies with CIE and ELISA, and anti‐nDNA and cardiolipin antibodies using an ELISA method. CIE detected anti‐Ro/SSA antibodies in 22 patients while ELISA 1 and 2 did so in 17 and 18 patients, respectively. In five patients, IB revealed a reactivity to 60 kDa polypeptides and in two, a reactivity to 52 kDa polypeptides. Of these seven patients, four had a myocardial infarction. Of these, two reacted to the 52 kDa antigen and two to the 60 kDa antigen. A combination of techniques was often needed to detect all specificities. ELISA proved to be very specific and sensitive. The IB technique detected a group of patients with myocardial infarction. A case–control study is needed to confirm the data of cardiac involvement.