Arno Kromminga

Autoantibody Detection Using Indirect Immunofluorescence on HEp-2 Cells

The detection of autoantibodies is an important element in the diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression in patients with autoimmune diseases. In laboratory diagnostic tests for connective tissue and autoimmune liver diseases, indirect immunofluorescence on HEp‐2 cells plays a central role in a multistage diagnostic process. Despite the high quality of diagnostics, findings at different laboratories can differ considerably due to a lack of standardization, as well as subjective factors.

Immunogenicity of rituximab in patients with severe pemphigus.

Pemphigus is a life-threatening autoimmune bullous disease associated with autoantibodies to desmoglein 1 and/or 3. The anti-CD20 chimeric mouse monoclonal antibody rituximab has previously been successfully applied in more than 130 reported pemphigus patients with severe and/or refractory disease. Since antibodies against other therapeutics such as IFNalpha and beta, erythropoietin, and TNFalpha antagonists had led to decreased efficacy of these drugs, we determined anti-rituximab antibodies in 11 patients with pemphigus before rituximab administration as well as 3, 9, and 15 months thereafter. For this purpose, a novel, affinity capture elution assay was established using rabbit IgG against the F(ab)2 fragment of rituximab. In addition, serum levels of rituximab were determined by a competition ELISA. In 2 of 11 pemphigus patients, antibodies to rituximab were detected. In both patients, only a partial remission was observed under treatment. In addition, when followed over a longer period of time, the occurrence of anti-rituximab antibodies paralleled an increase in disease activity. Of the 9 patients without development of antiantibodies to rituximab, in 5, all lesions healed and in 4, partial remissions were seen. These observations show that antibodies to rituximab are generated in some patients during rituximab treatment and may be associated with a less favourable response to treatment.

Cicatricial pemphigoid differs from bullous pemphigoid and pemphigoid gestationis regarding the fine specificity of autoantibodies to the BP180 NC16A domain

Bullous pemphigoid (BP), pemphigoid (herpes) gestationis (PG), cicatricial pemphigoid (CP), and lichen planus pemphigoides (LPP) are autoimmune subepidermal bullous diseases that are characterized by circulating autoantibodies to the transmembrane hemidesmosomal protein BP180/type XVII collagen. Previous studies demonstrated that the majority of patients with BP, PG, and LPP show antibodies to an immunodominant, membrane-proximal non-collagenous domain (NC16A) on the extracellular portion of BP180. By the use of non-overlapping peptides of the NC16A domain, we previously demonstrated that autoantibodies from BP and PG patients mainly react with epitopes clustered within the N-terminus of this immunodominant site of BP180; antibodies from patients with LPP also recognized the C-terminal portion of NC16A. However, some of these results had been obtained indirectly by preadsorption studies. The aim of the present study was to analyze the fine specificity of IgG autoantibodies to NC16A in sera from patients with CP and to compare their reactivity with antibodies from BP, PG, and LPP patients using a series of new overlapping fragments covering the entire NC16A domain. We confirm that BP and PG sera mainly react with N-terminal epitopes of NC16A, whereas sera from patients with LPP also bind to C-terminal portions, of this domain. Interestingly, out of ten patients with CP, the sera of seven reacted with NC16A; within NC16A, these sera bound to both C-terminal fragments and an N-terminal epitope right next to the cell membrane. Our data demonstrate a heterogeneous binding pattern of autoantibodies to BP180 NC16A in patients with CP.

Autoantikörpernachweis mittels indirekter Immunfluoreszenz an HEp-2-Zellen

Systemic autoimmune diseases are characterized by the presence of antinuclear autoantibodies (ANA). Diluted patient sera are typically used to screen for the presence of ANA by immunfluorescence microscopy with fixed HEp-2 cells. Despite high-quality test kits, reports of different laboratories frequently present controversial results. This article recommends unified processing and interpretation of HEp-2 based screening for autoantibodies. Suggestions are made for the selection of high-quality test kits, optimized processing and diagnostic procedures. In addition to a relevant clinical diagnosis and an experienced laboratory specialist, the following procedure is highly recommended to achieve good laboratory practice: Initial HEp-2 based screening by indirect immunofluorescence, starting with a 1:80 serum dilution, and evaluation in a bright fluorescence microscope, pathological values from a titer of 1:160 upwards, internal quality checks and unified interpretation. We aim to improve diagnosis and care of patients with autoimmune diseases as a central focus of the European Autoimmunity Standardization Initiative (EASI).

Autoreactive T cell responses in pemphigus and pemphigoid

Pemphigus and pemphigoid are cutaneous autoimmune diseases characterised by autoantibodies directed against specific adhesion proteins of the epidermis and dermal-epidermal junction. These proteins are usually associated with desmosomes or hemidesmosomes. Binding of antibodies to their targets leads to the loss of cell-cell or cell-matrix adhesion and subsequently to blister formation. The humoral aspects of the autoimmune responses in pemphigus and pemphigoid have been extensively studied in the past. More recently, the cellular interactions resulting in the formation of autoantibodies and the involvement of autoreactive T cells in these diseases have attracted increased interest. In this review, the current knowledge on T cell involvement in pemphigus and pemphigoid is summarised.

Mapping of epitopes on the BP180 ectodomain targeted by IgA and IgG autoantibodies in patients with the lamina lucida-type of linear IgA disease.

Abstract Linear IgA disease (LAD) is an autoimmune subepidermal blistering skin disease characterized by the linear deposition of IgA at the dermoepidermal junction. Serum from patients with LAD most commonly contains autoantibodies that are directed against the hemidesmosomal transmembrane glycoprotein BP180 (type XVII collagen). Various antigenic sites on the extracellular domain of this anchoring filament protein have been shown to be targeted by autoantibodies in different autoimmune bullous skin diseases, including bullous pemphigoid and cicatricial pemphigoid (CP). However, little is known about epitopes on BP180 recognized by autoantibodies in LAD. In this study, we used three recombinant GST fusion proteins, together roughly covering the entire BP180 ectodomain, to characterize the autoimmune response in serum from patients with LAD. Interestingly, we found both IgA and IgG reactivity to all three portions of the BP180 ectodomain. The strongest reactivity was observed with the C-terminal portion of BP180. This is also the major region recognized by autoantibodies in patients with CP. This finding correlates with the observation that there may be significant overlap of the clinical and immunopathological findings in LAD and CP.

Monitoring of nuclear factor of activated T-cell-regulated gene expression in de novo and long-term liver transplant recipients treated with cyclosporine a.

Pharmacodynamic drug monitoring might allow an improved use of immunosuppressive medication in transplant recipients. We assessed whether drug concentrations reflect the effect of cyclosporine (CsA) on expression of nuclear factor of activated T-cells-regulated cytokines. CsA drug concentrations and expression of interleukin-2, interferon-γ, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in stimulated blood lymphocytes were determined predose (C0) and 2 hours after (C2) CsA intake in 20 de novo (less than 3 months) and 20 long-term (3 months to 10 years) liver transplant patients. The residual cytokine expression at C2 relative to C0 was calculated. Mean CsA C0 and C2 concentrations were 236 and 776 μg/L in de novo and 100 and 573 μg/L in long-term liver transplant patients, respectively. Two hours after CsA intake, the residual cytokine expression for all cytokines was comparable in both groups (de novo patients mean 16%; long-term patients mean 17%). CsA C2 concentrations showed a significant (P < 0.01) correlation with the residual cytokine expression of interleukin-2, interferon-γ, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in both de novo and long-term patients, whereas CsA C0 concentrations did not. The data suggest that CsA C2 concentrations, but not C0 concentrations, reflect the effect of CsA on downregulation of cytokine expression in both de novo and long-term liver transplant patients.

Clinical evaluation of 5-S-cysteinyldopa testing using a new and optimized detection system as a tumour marker for malignant melanoma.

5-S-cysteinyldopa (5-S-CD) has been described as a tumour marker for the detection of human metastatic melanoma. We investigated the clinical utility of a new and optimized method to detect 5-S-CD by analysing 207 plasma samples derived from 138 patients with clinical stage I/II (n = 60), III (n = 32) or IV (n = 46) melanoma. Control groups consisted of 27 patients with non-melanoma skin diseases and 30 healthy volunteers. 5-S-CD plasma levels were determined using a new analytical technique based on a fully automated solid phase extraction coupled online to a novel high performance liquid chromatography method. In all the samples from the healthy control subjects 5-S-CD plasma concentrations were below 2.0 μg/l. Increased 5-S-CD-levels (⩾2.0 μg/l) were found in 52%, 67% and 81% of the plasma samples from patients with stages I/II, III and IV malignant melanoma, respectively. The mean values of 5-S-CD were found to rise with increasing tumour stage. Among 27 samples from patients with non-melanoma skin disease, slightly elevated 5-S-CD levels between 2.3 and 2.6 μg/l were found in only four samples from patients with multiple dysplastic naevi. In conclusion, our improved analytical technique provides a high sensitivity in all stages of the disease and represents a useful technique for monitoring melanoma patients.

Trehalose conserves expression of bullous pemphigoid antigen 180 during desiccation and freezing

Bullous pemphigoid antigen 180 (BP180) is targeted by autoantibodies in a variety of subepidermal blistering skin diseases. We have recently developed a simple, highly specific and sensitive immunofluorescence (IF) assay for the detection of circulating antibodies against BP180. This novel assay involves the expression of full-length (FL) BP180 in Sf21 insect cells that are then examined under IF microscopy after staining with anti-BP180 antibodies. Application of this assay as a routine diagnostic tool requires long-term storage of FL-BP180, which can result in substantial loss of expression. Here, we show that the disaccharide trehalose, a natural cryo- and lyoprotectant, is capable of preserving the FL-BP180 antigen expressed in Sf21 insect cells under various (dry) storage conditions including 40 degrees C, room temperature (RT), 4-8, -20, and -80 degrees C. The protective effect was dose-dependent reaching a maximum at about 200 mM trehalose. Trehalose was superior to other sugars or conventional cryoprotective agents (e.g. sucrose, myo-inositol, DMSO) in preventing greatly reduced antigen expression. Trehalose conserved the expression of both extra- and intracellular epitopes of FL-BP180. Interestingly, protection of the intracellular domain was only observed when trehalose was introduced into the cytosol. Trehalose significantly prolonged the storage time of FL-BP180 expressed in Sf21 insect cells, thus permitting the routine use of the IF assay in clinics for the detection of serum antibodies. The method described here has potential applications for the preservation of other transmembrane proteins.

Autoantikörpernachweis mittels indirekter Immunfluoreszenz an HEp-2-Zellen1)/Autoantibody detection using indirect immunofluorescence on HEp-2 cells

Zusammenfassung Der Nachweis von Autoantikörpern ist ein wichtiger Bestandteil der Diagnostik und Verlaufskontrolle von Patienten mit Autoimmunerkrankungen. In der Labordiagnostik der Kollagenosen und der autoimmunen Lebererkrankungen spielt die indirekte Immunfluoreszenz an HEp-2-Zellen im Rahmen einer Stufendiagnostik eine zentrale Rolle. Trotz hoher Qualität der Diagnostik können die Befunde zwischen verschiedenen Labors jedoch wegen fehlender Standardisierung und subjektiver Faktoren zum Teil erheblich differieren. Die vorliegende Arbeit formuliert Empfehlungen für eine vereinheitlichte Bearbeitung und Interpretation des HEp-2-Zell-Testes zum Nachweis von nicht organspezifischen (v.a. antinukleären) Antikörpern. Dabei werden Anforderungen an die verwendeten Diagnostika, Hinweise für die Abarbeitung und Auswertung im Labor und Empfehlungen für die Interpretation gegeben. Für eine optimale Labordiagnostik sind neben einer aussagefähigen klinischen Verdachtsdiagnose und einem erfahrenen Labordiagnostiker folgende Eckpunkte zu empfehlen: Initiales Screening mittels indirekter Immunfluoreszenz an sorgfältig ausgewählten HEp2-Zellen, beginnend mit einer Serumverdünnung von 1:80 und Auswertung in einem lichtstarken Mikroskop, positive Befundung ab einem Titer von 1:160, laborinterne Qualitätssicherung und vereinheitlichte Befundung. Ziel ist die Verbesserung der Diagnostik und Betreuung von Patienten mit Autoimmunerkrankungen als zentrales Anliegen der „European Autoimmunity Standardization Initiative“ (EASI). Abstract Systemic autoimmune diseases are characterized by the presence of antinuclear autoantibodies (ANAs). Diluted patient sera are typically used to screen for the presence of ANAs by immunofluorescence microscopy with fixed HEp-2 cells. Despite high quality test kits, reports of different laboratories frequently present controversial results. This study presents a recommendation for a unified processing and interpretation of HEp-2 based screening for autoantibodies. We provide suggestions for selection of high quality test kits, optimized processing, and diagnostic procedures. For good laboratory practice, in addition to a relevant clinical diagnosis and an experienced laboratory specialist, the following procedure is highly recommended: initial HEp-2 based screening by indirect immunofluorescence, starting with a 1:80 serum dilution and evaluation in a bright fluorescence microscope, pathological values from a titer of 1:160, internal quality checks, and unified interpretation. We aim to improve diagnostics and care for patients with autoimmune diseases as a central focus of the European Autoimmunity Standardization Initiative (EASI).