Specific Autoantibodies Research Articles

Autoimmune-Associated Seizures.

This article focuses on the seizure manifestations and presentations of autoimmune-associated epilepsy and acute symptomatic seizures in autoimmune encephalitis. It discusses the specificity of the various central nervous system autoantibodies and clarifies when their presence can be considered indicative of an immune etiology. Finally, current recommendations regarding patient selection for autoimmune antibody evaluation are reviewed, and an approach to immunotherapy is provided. Although autoimmune seizures are caused by a heterogeneous group of autoantibodies, key features reported in the literature should alert clinicians to the possible diagnosis. In particular, seizure characteristics including frequency, timing, duration, and symptomatology can provide vital clues to help differentiate autoimmune-associated seizures from other causes of epilepsy. Diagnostic certainty also requires an understanding and integration of the spectrum of clinical and paraclinical presentations, and several scoring systems have been developed that may be useful to aid the identification of autoimmune seizures. Seizures due to autoimmune etiology are increasingly encountered in clinical practice. It is critical that clinicians recognize immune seizure etiologies early in their course given they are often responsive to immunotherapy but are usually resistant to antiseizure medications. Currently, however, it is unfortunately not uncommon for autoimmune-associated seizure disorders to remain undiagnosed, resulting in missed opportunities to administer effective therapies. Efforts to better understand autoimmune seizure manifestations and treatment strategies are ongoing.

IDF21-0074 Role of methylglyoxal modified low density lipoprotein in type 2 diabetes mellitus and its role in periodontal disease

Background: Glycation, a physiological and pathological process mainly affects proteins, nucleic acids and lipids. Methylglyoxal (MGO) along with free radicals is known to contribute to the pathogenesis of several diseases, in disorders particularly having enhanced production of acetone and amino-acetone such as diabetes mellitus (DM). The accumulation of MGO induces β-cells dysfunction, insulin resistance as well as impairment of endothelial functions in DM patients. Also, the increased level of MGO intensifies ROS generation and AGEs formation which further accelerates the co-morbidities associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). There is an increased susceptibility and severity of periodontal diseases in case of patients with diabetes and vice-versa. Aim: The likely role of native low density lipoprotein (LDL) and glycated LDL in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and periodontitis (PD) as well as in T2DM+PD patients has been evaluated. Method: Sera from T2DM+PD T2DM and PD patients (n=80), were screened for the presence of antibodies against MGO-LDL and native LDL. Besides, the conformational changes in LDL isolated from T2DM+PD, T2DM and PD patients (possibly due to glycoxidaton) were also studied by UV absorption, fluorescence and CD spectroscopy. ThT, Comet assay, SEM and TEM were also done. Cellular toxicity of the isolated LDL from both T2DM+PD, T2DM and PD patients was demonstrated by comet assay. Biochemical parameters like increase in carbonyl content, TBARS, TNF α and IL1β indicate LDL oxidation and increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines. Results: MGO-LDL (in comparison to parallel control) proved to be a potent antigen showing very high binding with T2DM+PD, T2DM and PD sera as observed in direct binding ELISA. The stronger binding of T2DM+PD, T2DM and PD auto-antibodies to MGO-LDL suggests the importance of this modification in the onset and pathogenesis of these diseases. Inhibition ELISA results showed very high percent inhibition of antibodies from T2DM+PD, T2DM and PD patients by MGO-LDL in comparison to native LDL pointing towards the possible role of glycoxidation of LDL in these patients. The modified LDL might have further generated high levels of circulating auto-antibodies in the sera of these patients. Further, to ascertain the specificity of auto-antibodies from T2DM+PD, T2DM and PD patients, competitive inhibition ELISA studies were done on IgG isolated from the sera of these patients. The samples of isolated IgG from T2DM+PD (T2DM+PD-IgG), T2DM (T2DM-IgG) and PD (PD-IgG) showed very strong recognition of MGO-LDL in comparison to the native counterpart. The specificity and affinity of T2DM+PD, T2DM and PD auto-antibodies towards MGO-LDL was further confirmed by gel retardation assay. The gel mobility results confirmed specificity of MGO-LDL towards auto-antibodies from T2DM and PD patients. Furthermore, high recognition of experimentally induced anti-MGO-LDL antibodies by T2DM+PD-LDL, T2DM-LDL and PD-LDL compared to NHS-LDL confirmed that the observed structural damage in T2DM+PD-LDL, T2DM-LDL and PD-LDL is due to glycoxidation. Discussion: The neo-epitopes on LDL created by its exposure to MGO appear to be responsible for induction and elevated levels of these antibodies, and thus MGO-LDL may be considered as potential antigenic candidate for auto-immune response in diabetes and periodontitis patients with a potential for biomarker development.

Autoimmune Hepatitis - What is important for clinical practice?

Autoimmune hepatitis is a rare but chronic autoimmune-mediated liver disease. Key features are elevated transaminases, hypergammaglobulinemia, presence of specific autoantibodies and typical histological features. Diagnostic scores are helpful in establishing the diagnosis. Immunosuppressive therapy should be initiated in every patient with inflammatory activity. First-line therapy includes steroids and azathioprine and results in biochemical and histological remission in the majority of patients. In most cases, lifelong therapy is required. Every patient should receive regular follow-up surveillance including biochemical parameters as well as sonography and elastography.

Glycation end-products specific auto-antibodies in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease, which is highly inflammatory. Compared to a healthy control group, SLE patients exhibit a higher concentration of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and a lower concentration of receptors for AGEs (RAGE) in serum, however, the exact aetiology is still unclear. In the present study, non-enzymatic glycation induced modification of human serum albumin (HSA) has been studied by biophysical techniques. Glycated HSA (G-HSA) was used as an antigen, and serum autoantibody levels were estimated in SLE and normal humans (NH) against it, using direct binding ELISA and competitive inhibition ELISA. Compared to N-HSA, remarkable structural modifications were observed in G-HSA. Modified HSA also showed increased pentosidine fluorescence (213.7 ± 13.4 AU). Glycation of HSA induced a conversion of α-helix and random coil to β-sheet and β-turns. Serum immuno assays results exhibited significantly (p < 0.001) higher binding of G-HSA with serum autoantibodies from SLE patients when compared with native HSA (N-HSA). Furthermore, competitive ELISA results showed significantly (p < 0.001) high percent inhibition of serum IgG from SLE patients with modified antigen. Chronic inflammation with excessive oxidative stress in SLE patients could be a possible reason for structural alterations in blood proteins, generating highly immunogenic unique new-epitopes. These in turn induce the generation of specific autoantibodies against G-HSA that may serve as a potential biomarker for SLE pathogenesis.

IL-1 receptor antagonist, MIS-C, and the peculiar autoimmunity of SARS-CoV-2

IL-1 receptor antagonist, MIS-C, and the peculiar autoimmunity of SARS-CoV-2

Anti-Myxovirus Resistance Protein-1 Immunoglobulin A Autoantibody in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Background We have previously analysed serum autoantibody levels in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (iNSIP), and healthy controls and identified the autoantibody against anti-myxovirus resistance protein-1 (MX1) to be a specific autoantibody in iNSIP. We found that a higher anti-MX1 autoantibody level was a significant predictor of a good prognosis in patients with non-IPF idiopathic interstitial pneumonias. In this retrospective study, we sought to clarify the prognostic significance of the anti-MX1 autoantibody in IPF. Methods We measured anti-MX1 immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA, and IgM autoantibody levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in serum collected at the time of diagnosis from 71 patients with IPF diagnosed according to the 2018 IPF guideline. The gender-age-physiology (GAP) index was calculated in each case. Results The study population (59 men and 12 women) had a median age of 67 years. Serum anti-MX1 IgG and IgA autoantibody levels correlated positively with GAP stage (p < 0.05). Univariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis did not identify an elevated anti-MX1 IgG, IgA, or IgM autoantibody level as a significant prognostic factor; however, a higher anti-MX1 IgA autoantibody level heralded significantly poorer survival after adjustment for GAP stage (p=0.030) and for percent forced vital capacity and modified Medical Research Council score (p=0.018). Neither the anti-MX1 IgG autoantibody nor the IgM autoantibody could predict survival after these adjustments. Conclusions The serum anti-MX1 IgA autoantibody level is a significant prognostic factor in IPF. Further studies are needed to clarify the pathophysiological role of this autoantibody in IPF.

Diagnostic and Clinical Value of Specific Autoantibodies against Kelch-like 12 Peptide and Nuclear Envelope Proteins in Patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic autoimmune liver disease characterized by the presence of antimitochondrial and antinuclear antibodies in patients’ serum. Here, we analyzed the reactivity of autoantibodies against a novel autoantigen, kelch-like 12 (KLHL12) protein, in a cohort of 138 PBC and 90 non-PBC patients. Additionally, we compared the reactivity of KLHL12 with antinuclear envelope antibodies: anti-gp210, anti-p62, and anti-LBR. Commercially available kits and an ‘in-house’ ELISA were used in the studies. Antinuclear envelope antibodies were detected in 65% of PBC patients and the presence of these antibodies was observed more frequently in patients diagnosed with later stages (III/IV) of PBC, according to Ludwig’s classification (p < 0.05) and were found to correlate with a higher concentration of bilirubin. Overall, anti-KLHL12 antibodies were found more frequently in PBC patients than in non-PBC controls (p < 0.001). Anti-KLHL12 antibodies were detected in 36% of the tested PBC cohort, including PBC patients negative for antimitochondrial antibodies. Presence of anti-KLHL12 was also associated with a higher concentration of bilirubin and correlated with fibrosis (p < 0.05). Anti-KLHL12 antibodies were detected in 30% of PBC individuals positive for antinuclear envelope antibodies, while anti-KLHL12 and antinuclear envelope antibodies were found in 17% of all PBC cases. Concluding, our data confirm that antibodies against the KLHL12 protein are highly specific for PBC and when used in combination with other markers, may significantly increase the diagnosis of PBC.

Analysis of nAChR Autoantibodies Against Extracellular Epitopes in MG Patients.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder caused by autoantibodies targeting components of the postsynaptic membrane of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), leading to neuromuscular transmission deficiency. In the vast majority of patients, these autoantibodies target the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), a heteropentameric ion channel anchored to the postsynaptic membrane of the NMJ. Autoantibodies in patients with MG may target all the subunits of the receptor at both their extracellular and intracellular regions. Here, we combine immunoadsorption with a cell-based assay to examine the specificity of the patients' autoantibodies against the extracellular part of the nAChR. Our results reveal that these autoantibodies can be divided into distinct groups, based on their target, with probably different impacts on disease severity. Although our findings are based on a small sample group of patients, they strongly support that additional analysis of the specificity of the autoantibodies of patients with MG could serve as a valuable tool for the clinicians' decision on the treatment strategy to be followed.

An Illustration of Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Using Decision Tree Algorithm

Data Mining domain integrates several partitions of the computer science and analytics field. Data mining focuses on mine data from a repository of datasets, to identify patterns, discover knowledge, additionally to predict probable outcomes. One of the inflammatory diseases is the Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) caused by specific autoantibodies with the destruction of synovial joint autoantibodies. Most RA patients experience abhor pain on the joints of the hands, legs, hip, spine, and shoulder. ID3 is the general significant algorithm to construct a decision tree. Information gain determined to find the dominant attributes from the dataset to build the decision tree for the ID3 algorithm. C4.5 is another algorithm to construct the decision tree. It is the successor of ID3 that handles dataset contains different numerical attributes. C4.5 algorithm builds the decision tree evaluated by the gain ratio. Decision tree belongs to classification techniques is a well-known method appropriate for medical diagnosis. Decision tree algorithms such as ID3 and C4.5 are popular and efficiently used classifiers for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) prediction from a RA dataset. The objective of this paper is to display the prominent features to predict RA from the RA dataset.

The expanding role of synthetic nucleic acids for diagnosis and treatment.

The presence of autoantibodies is a characteristic and diagnostic index of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Antidouble-stranded DNA (antids-DNA) antibodies are the most frequent autoantibodies found in SLE related to the diagnosis and disease activity of SLE, and are measured by established methods like ELISA as a polyclonal autoantibody. However, there is no reliable data on the relationship between the respective reactivity of these polyclonal antids-DNA antibodies against different epitopes generated from the original antigen and the disease phenotype. Of the complications in SLE, neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) is a troublesome and frequent phenotype of the disease but no specific diagnostic autoantibodies in serum have been found. First in this review, the possibility of antids-DNA antibodies for identifying primary NPSLE in patients with SLE based on the reactivity of different synthetic nucleic acids is described as a diagnostic marker. The purpose of this review is to examine diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities to modulate autoimmune in the central nervous system (CNS) developing the CNS inflammatory disorders. Khatri et al. investigated antids-DNA antibodies in order to develop a reliable method based on the application of synthetic nucleic acids and protein-based antigen arrays to characterize autoreactive antibodies specially for NPSLE. They found autoantibodies in three particular synthetic double stranded antigens and the antinuclear antibody patterns in ordinary lupus and NPSLE. These discoveries are leading to precision medicine in the CNS inflammatory disorders. Verifying the similarity of antids-DNA obtained from patients with NPSLE can be useful as a diagnostic marker. mRNA vaccination can locally suppress autoimmunity in the CNS associated with critical steps for the develop of CNS autoinflammation. Synthetic nuclei acids may provide a diagnostic and therapeutic target in patients with autoimmune CNS inflammatory disorders.

Autoantigen characterization in the lower esophageal sphincter muscle of patients with achalasia.

Serum anti-myenteric autoantibodies define autoimmune achalasia and tissue MMP-9 activity may locally process autoantigenic proteins in the muscle of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) of achalasia patients. Biopsies of the LES muscle from 36 achalasia patients, 6 esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO) patients, and 16 transplant donors (TD) were compared in a blind cross-sectional study. Histological characteristics such as inflammation, fibrosis, presence of ganglion cells, cells of Cajal, GAD65, PNMA2, S-100, P substance, and MMP-9 proteoforms in tissue were assessed by H&E and Picrosirius Red staining and immunohistochemistry analysis. Anti-neuronal antibodies, onconeural antigens, recoverin, SOX-1, titin, zic4, GAD65, and Tr were evaluated by immunoblot/line assay. Tissue of achalasia patients had heterogeneous inflammatory infiltrates with fibrosis and contrasting higher levels of activated MMP-9, as compared with EGJOO and TD. Moreover, lower ganglion cell percentages and cell of Cajal percentages were determined in esophageal tissues of achalasia patients versus TD. The tissues of achalasia versus EGJOO patients had higher GAD65 and PNMA2 protein expression. Unexpectedly, these proteins were absent in TD tissue. S-100 and P substance had similar expression levels in tissues of achalasia patients versus TD and EGJOO. Most of the achalasia sera had anti-GAD65 (83%) and anti-PNMA2 (90%) autoantibodies versus EGJOO (17% and 33%, respectively) and healthy volunteers (10% and 0%, respectively). Tissue-specific ectopic expression of GAD65 and PNMA/Ta2 and active MMP-9, associated with the presence of specific autoantibodies directed against these proteins, might participate in the pathophysiology of achalasia triggering and/or perpetuating autoimmune disease.

Pregnancy and Autoimmune Disease.

Pregnancies in women with chronic disease are on the rise. This pertains to autoimmune diseases in particular since these tend to affect women of childbearing age. The interaction between pregnancy and autoimmune disease may increase the risk of maternal, fetal, and obstetric complications; additional care may be required. This review is based on a selective literature search in PubMed (2015-2020). In women with autoimmune diseases, the course of pregnancy is highly variable. Some autoimmune diseases tend to improve during pregnancy and do not to result in any serious obstetric complications. Others may worsen during pregnancy, with deterioration of the maternal condition as well as obstetric and perinatal complications. In systemic lupus erythematosus and myasthenia gravis, placental transfer of specific autoantibodies may cause fetal or neonatal disease. The care of pregnant women with chronic diseases requires collaboration between specialists of the pertinent levels of care. A stable course of disease before conception, close interdisciplinary care, and pregnancy-compatible medication contribute to a reduction in maternal and perinatal complications.

Myositis-specific Antibodies: Overview and Clinical Utilization.

Purpose of review-To review autoantibodies associated with different subtypes of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) and their clinical applications. IIM are a heterogenous group of autoimmune disorders characterized by muscle weakness, cutaneous features, and internal organ involvement. The diagnosis and classification, which is often challenging, is made using a combination of clinical features, muscle enzyme levels, imaging, and biopsy. The landmark discoveries of novel autoantibodies specific to IIM subtypes have been one of the greatest advancements in the field of myositis. The specificity of these autoantibodies has simplified the diagnostic algorithm of IIM with their heterogenous presentation and outdated the earlier diagnostic criteria. Myositis-specific antibodies (MSAs) have improved diagnostics, clinical phenotyping, and prognostic stratification of the subtypes of IIMs. Furthermore, the levels of certain MSAs correlate with disease activity and muscle enzyme levels such that titers may be able to be used to predict disease course and treatment response.

High-Dimensional Analysis Reveals Distinct Endotypes in Patients With Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies.

The idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) are a rare clinically heterogeneous group of conditions affecting the skin, muscle, joint, and lung in various combinations. While myositis specific autoantibodies are well described, we postulate that broader immune endotypes exist in IIM spanning B cell, T cell, and monocyte compartments. This study aims to identify immune endotypes through detailed immunophenotyping of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in IIM patients compared to healthy controls. We collected PBMCs from 17 patients with a clinical diagnosis of inflammatory myositis and characterized the B, T, and myeloid cell subsets using mass cytometry by time of flight (CyTOF). Data were analyzed using a combination of the dimensionality reduction algorithm t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE), cluster identification, characterization, and regression (CITRUS), and marker enrichment modeling (MEM); supervised biaxial gating validated populations identified by these methods to be differentially abundant between groups. Using these approaches, we identified shared immunologic features across all IIM patients, despite different clinical features, as well as two distinct immune endotypes. All IIM patients had decreased surface expression of RP105/CD180 on B cells and a reduction in circulating CD3+CXCR3+ subsets relative to healthy controls. One IIM endotype featured CXCR4 upregulation across all cellular compartments. The second endotype was hallmarked by an increased frequency of CD19+CD21loCD11c+ and CD3+CD4+PD1+ subsets. The experimental and analytical methods we describe here are broadly applicable to studying other immune-mediated diseases (e.g., autoimmunity, immunodeficiency) or protective immune responses (e.g., infection, vaccination).

Antibodies to Porphyromonas gingivalis Are Increased in Patients with Severe Periodontitis, and Associate with Presence of Specific Autoantibodies and Myocardial Infarction.

There is accumulating data suggesting that periodontitis is associated with increased risk of systemic and autoimmune diseases, including cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and there is an unmet need to identify these individuals early. With the periodontal bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) as one of the key drivers of periodontitis, we set out to investigate whether antibodies to Pg virulence factor arginine gingipain (Rgp) could serve as a biomarker for periodontitis patients at increased risk of autoimmunity and systemic disease. We measured serum anti-Rgp IgG in three study populations: PAROKRANK (779 individuals with myocardial infarction (MI); 719 controls), where 557 had periodontitis, and 312 were positive for autoantibodies associated with RA/SLE; the PerioGene North pilot (41 periodontitis; 39 controls); and an SLE case/control study (101 SLE; 100 controls). Anti-Rgp IgG levels were increased in severe periodontitis compared to controls (p < 0.0001), in individuals positive for anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (p = 0.04) and anti-dsDNA antibodies (p = 0.035), compared to autoantibody-negative individuals; and in MI patients versus matched controls (p = 0.035). Our data support longitudinal studies addressing the role of anti-Rgp antibodies as biomarkers for periodontitis patients at increased risk of developing autoimmunity linked to RA and SLE, and mechanisms underpinning these associations.

Histone Deacetylase Isoforms Differentially Modulate Inflammatory and Autoantibody Responses in a Mouse Model of Myasthenia Gravis.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic muscle fatigue and weakness caused by autoantibodies and complement-mediated damage at neuromuscular junctions. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are crucial epigenetic regulators of proinflammatory gene expression; however, it is unclear whether HDACs modulate chronic inflammation or autoantibody production associated with MG pathogenesis. We examined expression profiles and serum levels of key inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-21) and acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-specific autoantibodies following pharmacological inhibition of key HDAC isoforms in a mouse model of MG. We found that HDAC inhibition significantly reduced the production of IL-6, but not IL-21, in AChR-stimulated PBMCs and splenocytes (n = 5 per group). Trichostatin (pan-HDAC inhibitor) treatment of MG-PBMCs (n = 2) also exhibited reduced production of induced IL-6. Although HDAC1 inhibition lowered IL-6 levels the most, HDAC2 inhibition depleted intracellular IL-6 and markedly reduced serum anti-AChR IgG2b in EAMG mice. The transcriptomic profiling and pathway mapping also revealed that autoimmunity-linked, major cell signaling pathways were differentially altered by HDAC1/2 inhibition. HDAC inhibition-mediated reduction in IL-6 and autoantibody levels also correlated with milder disease and preservation of muscle AChR in the treated mice. Overall, our findings revealed isoform-specific functional variance of HDACs in reducing inflammation and identified HDAC-regulated many genes underlying specific inflammatory and autoantibody pathways in EAMG. Thus, the study provides a rationale for further research to evaluate the HDACs or their gene targets as a potential adjunct treatment for MG.

Feasibility of Indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) alone as a screening method for antinuclear antibody in connective diseases in India's sub-Himalayan region.

For the management of connective tissue disorders (CTDs), antinuclear antibody (ANA) testing is essential, both from diagnostic and prognostic points of view. Usually, patterns obtained by ANA-IIF testing correlates to specific autoantibodies as obtained from the test for ENA (by LIA/ELISA, etc.). But to apply these data from western studies, we may need validation in the local population like our subjects in sub-Himalayan (Garhwal region) area where CTDs are common. Also, suppose ANA-IFA pattern's correlation is reliably known in our population, it can minimize the cost of managing CTDs by limiting ENA testing, which is 10 times costlier than ANA-IIF. Hence, this study was undertaken to know the specific autoantibody targets (ENA by LIA) against ANA-IIF patterns in our local population. In this retrospective cross-sectional work, serum samples of CTDs were tested for ANA by IIF (Euroimmune AG) and ENA by LIA (Euroline ANA-3G) continuously for 36 months. The manufacturer's kit insert was followed, and results were analyzed applying appropriate statistical methods. Major ANA-IIF patterns were found to be associated with specific autoantibodies, for example, Nuclear homogenous with dsDNA, nucleosomes, histones; speckled pattern with nRNP/Sm, Sm, SSA/Ro-52, SSB; nucleolar pattern with Scl-70, Pm-Scl 100 and centromere pattern with CENP-B. Anticytoplasmic (ACA) are found to be linked with some ANA negative (by IIF) samples, emphasizing the need for careful observation for ACA especially where ANA is not found. In most subjects, specific ENA targets correlated well with ANA-IIF patterns, implying effective cost minimization in CTD management. Similar future prospective studies (with clinical data) can provide a database and reference for our population.

Diagnostic Approach to Autoimmune Hepatitis

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic liver disease caused by unknown etiology, characterized by elevated liver enzyme, hypergammaglobulinemia, circulating autoantibodies, and histological interface hepatitis. As untreated AIH often leads to decompensated cirrhosis and even death, prompt and timely diagnosis is essential. However, about 1/3 of patients with AIH have cirrhosis at diagnosis. On the other hand, new onset acute or acute exacerbation of previous undiagnosed AIH can be presented as acute hepatitis. Thus, any patients with acute or chronic liver disease with hypergammagloblinemia without other cause should be considered to evaluate circulating non-organ specific autoantibodies for diagnosis of AIH. In case of suspected AIH, liver biopsy should be considered to evaluate its histological characteristics including interface hepatitis, plasma cell infiltration, emperipolesis, and rosettes. When the diagnosis is made, prompt treatment with prednisolone followed by combined azathioprine should be considered to improve its prognosis.

Динаміка рівнів нейроавтоантитіл у крові хворих на тяжку черепно-мозкову травму

Актуальність. Як відомо, тяжка черепно-мозкова травма супроводжується розвитком гіпоксії з подальшою загибеллю нервових клітин. Важливу роль у патологічному процесі відіграють автоімунні реакції клітинного і гуморального типу. Мета роботи: вивчити вміст у крові автоантитіл до нейроантигенів у хворих на тяжку черепно-мозкову травму. Матеріали та методи. Обстежено 40 хворих з ізольованою тяжкою черепно-мозковою травмою, які перебували на лікуванні у відділенні інтенсивної терапії в післяопераційному періоді. Контрольну групу становили 20 здорових добровольців. Вміст автоантитіл до мозкових антигенів (основного білка мієліну (MBP), кальційзв’язуючого білка (S-100), нейроспецифічної енолази (NSE) та загального мозкового антигенa) визначали методом імуноферментного аналізу на 1-шу, 3-тю, 5-ту ,7-му, 14-ту добу після оперативного втручання. Результати. Було виявлено, що рівень автоантитіл до основного білка мієліну на 1-шу добу, а також упродовж усього дослідження вірогідно не відрізнявся від рівня здорових добровольців. Концентрація автоантитіл до кальційзв’язуючого білка на 1-шу добу вірогідно не відрізнялась від рівня здорових добровольців, але на 3-тю добу вона збільшилась, різниця між показниками пацієнтів і здорових добровольців була статистично вірогідною. На 5-ту добу відбувалося зниження показників зі збереженням вірогідної різниці. На 7-му та 14-ту добу рівні автоантитіл пацієнтів поступово знижувалися (р &gt; 0,05). Рівень автоантитіл до нейроспецифічної енолази на 1-шу добу не перевищував показники здорових добровольців (р &gt; 0,05). На 3-тю добу рівень збільшився, досягши піка на 5-ту добу, коли різниця порівняно з показниками здорових добровольців була статистично вірогідною. В подальшому відбувалося зниження показників зі збереженням статистично вірогідної різниці. Рівні автоантитіл до загального мозкового антигена на 1-шу добу були підвищені, але вірогідно не відрізнялися від показників здорових добровольців. В подальшому показники зростали, досягши піка на 5-ту добу, коли вони статистично різнилися з показниками здорових добровольців. Надалі спостерігалося зниження показників на 7-му та 14-ту добу зі збереженням статистично вірогідної різниці. Висновки. Результати нашого дослідження показали, що тяжка черепно-мозкова травма викликає підвищення рівнів специфічних автоантитіл до мозкових антигенів у сироватці крові хворих. Зафіксований високий рівень автоантитіл до нейроспецифічної енолази, білка S-100, загального мозкового антигена і низький — до основного білка мієліну, що дозволяє зробити висновок про те, що саме нейрони і астроглія схильні насамперед до змін та пошкодження, оскільки до їх антигенів активується автоімунний процес.

Multiple early factors anticipate post-acute COVID-19 sequelae

SummaryPost-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) represent an emerging global crisis. However, quantifiable risk factors for PASC and their biological associations are poorly resolved. We executed a deep multi-omic, longitudinal investigation of 309 COVID-19 patients from initial diagnosis to convalescence (2–3 months later), integrated with clinical data and patient-reported symptoms. We resolved four PASC-anticipating risk factors at the time of initial COVID-19 diagnosis: type 2 diabetes, SARS-CoV-2 RNAemia, Epstein-Barr virus viremia, and specific auto-antibodies. In patients with gastrointestinal PASC, SARS-CoV-2-specific and CMV-specific CD8+ T cells exhibited unique dynamics during recovery from COVID-19. Analysis of symptom-associated immunological signatures revealed coordinated immunity polarization into four endotypes, exhibiting divergent acute severity and PASC. We find that immunological associations between PASC factors diminish over time, leading to distinct convalescent immune states. Detectability of most PASC factors at COVID-19 diagnosis emphasizes the importance of early disease measurements for understanding emergent chronic conditions and suggests PASC treatment strategies.