Premium
Association of autoantibodies against small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) with symptomatic Toxocara canis infestation
Author(s) -
Obwaller Andreas,
Duchêne Michael,
Walochnik Julia,
Wiedermann Gerhard,
Auer Herbert,
Aspöck Horst
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
parasite immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1365-3024
pISSN - 0141-9838
DOI - 10.1111/j.0141-9838.2004.00716.x
Subject(s) - autoantibody , biology , immunology , toxocara canis , immunofluorescence , asymptomatic , antibody , pathology , medicine , helminths
SUMMARY Several studies have demonstrated the occurrence of autoantibodies in the course of infestations with helminth parasites and a number of target proteins have been identified. Sera from patients suffering from toxocarosis, a disease caused by the parasitic roundworm Toxocara canis , and from healthy individuals were tested for autoantibodies by immunofluorescence and immunoblot assays using HEp‐2 cells as antigen. A considerable proportion of the sera from patients with toxocarosis‐associated symptoms were autoantibody‐positive, with a speckled staining pattern in the immunofluorescence test (62%) and with anti‐snRNP reactivity in the immunoblot assay (98%). In contrast, significantly fewer sera from asymptomatic individuals scored positive in these assays (18% in the immunofluorescence test, P < 0·005; 24% in the immunoblot, P < 0·005). Although the causative link between Toxocara infestation and the occurrence of autoantibodies is still unclear, our results show that increased amounts of autoantibodies are associated with clinical symptoms of inflammation. Thus a serum test for autoantibodies in toxocarosis patients might be a valuable gatekeeper assay for the decision for or against anti‐inflammatory treatment.