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Prevalence and Clinico-Serological Correlations of Anti-a-Enolase, Anti-C1q, and Anti-dsDNA Antibodies in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
MARTA MOSCA, DANIELE CHIMENTI, FEDERICO PRATESI, CHIARA BALDINI, CONSUELO ANZILOTTI, STEFANO BOMBARDIERI, and PAOLA MIGLIORINI ABSTRACT. Objective. To evaluate the prevalence and clinico-serological correlations of anti-enolase, anti-C1q, and anti-dsDNA antibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods. Sixty-eight sera randomly obtained from SLE patients were examined. Anti-a-enolase antibodies were detected by immunoblot on recombinant protein; anti-C1q and anti-dsDNA antibodies were detected using an ELISA. Results. Anti-a-enolase, anti-C1q, and anti-dsDNA antibodies were positive in 21%, 62%, and 63% of patients, respectively. A correlation was found between anti-dsDNA and anti-C1q antibodies, while anti-enolase antibodies did not correlate with the other 2 specificities. Anti-a-enolase antibodies were not correlated with any of the clinical and serological variables examined. Anti-C1q antibodies were correlated with ECLAM score, leukopenia, complement levels, and active renal involvement. Anti-dsDNA antibodies correlated with arthritis, leukopenia, complement levels, and the presence of renal involvement, independent of activity. In patients with active renal disease anti-dsDNA antibodies were correlated with a poor renal outcome, occurring after a mean period of 24 months. Conclusion. These data suggest the association of anti-C1q antibodies with disease flares and active renal disease in SLE. The observed association of anti-dsDNA antibodies and renal disease was expected. Further analysis is required to fully assess the clinical significance of anti-a-enolase antibodies. (J Rheumatol 2006;33:695–7)
Key Indexing Terms: ANTI-a-ENOLASE ANTIBODIES
From the Rheumatology Unit and Clinical Immunology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. M. Mosca, MD, Assistant Professor of Rheumatology; D. Chimenti, BSc; F. Pratesi, BSc; C. Baldini, MD, Senior Research Fellow; C. Anzilotti, MD, Senior Research Fellow; S. Bombardieri, MD, Professor of Rheumatology; P. Migliorini, MD, Associate Professor of Immunology. Address reprint requests to Dr. M. Mosca, Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy. E-mail: marta.mosca@int.med.unipi.it Accepted for publication November 11, 2005.
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