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Sanchez-Hernandez ES, Ortiz-Hernandez GL, Ochoa PT, Reeves M, Bizzaro N, Andrade LEC, Mahler M, Casiano CA. The Nuclear Dense Fine Speckled (DFS) Immunofluorescence Pattern: Not All Roads Lead to DFS70/LEDGFp75. Diagnostics (Basel) 2023; 13:diagnostics13020222. [PMID: 36673033 PMCID: PMC9858485 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13020222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The monospecific dense fine speckled (DFS) immunofluorescence assay (IFA) pattern is considered a potential marker to aid in exclusion of antinuclear antibody (ANA)-associated rheumatic diseases (AARD). This pattern is typically produced by autoantibodies against transcription co-activator DFS70/LEDGFp75, which are frequently found in healthy individuals and patients with miscellaneous inflammatory conditions. In AARD patients, these antibodies usually co-exist with disease-associated ANAs. Previous studies reported the occurrence of monospecific autoantibodies that generate a DFS-like or pseudo-DFS IFA pattern but do not react with DFS70/LEDGFp75. We characterized this pattern using confocal microscopy and immunoblotting. The target antigen associated with this pattern partially co-localized with DFS70/LEDGFp75 and its interacting partners H3K36me2, an active chromatin marker, and MLL, a transcription factor, in HEp-2 cells, suggesting a role in transcription. Immunoblotting did not reveal a common protein band immunoreactive with antibodies producing the pseudo-DFS pattern, suggesting they may recognize diverse proteins or conformational epitopes. Given the subjectivity of the HEp-2 IFA test, the awareness of pseudo-DFS autoantibodies reinforces recommendations for confirmatory testing when reporting patient antibodies producing a putative DFS pattern in a clinical setting. Future studies should focus on defining the potential diagnostic utility of the pseudo-DFS pattern and its associated antigen(s).
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn S. Sanchez-Hernandez
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Greisha L. Ortiz-Hernandez
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Pedro T. Ochoa
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Michael Reeves
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
| | - Nicola Bizzaro
- Laboratorio di Patologia Clinica, Ospedale San Antonio, Azienda Sanitaria Universitaria Integrata, 33100 Udine, Italy
| | - Luis E. C. Andrade
- Rheumatology Division, Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo 04021-001, Brazil
- Immunology Division, Fleury Medicine and Health Laboratory, São Paulo 04023-062, Brazil
| | | | - Carlos A. Casiano
- Center for Health Disparities and Molecular Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Rheumatology Division, Department of Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +909-558-1000 (ext. 42759); Fax: +909-558-0196
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Deng C, Wang A, Hu C, Zhang W, Zeng X, Fei Y. The Prevalence and Clinical Relevance of the DFS Immunofluorescence Staining Pattern in a Large ANA-Positive Cohort. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:829436. [PMID: 35620720 PMCID: PMC9127569 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.829436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although the dense fine speckled (DFS) immunofluorescence staining pattern has been studied by various researchers in recent years, its clinical associations remain unspecified. Thus, we performed a retrospective study in a non-selective population to explore the prevalence of this enigmatic antinuclear antibody (ANA) pattern and to determine its possible clinical associations with any identifiable pathology. Methods We retrieved the results of ANA testing ordered by various departments in 2019 to study the prevalence of DFS pattern. Demographic characteristics and clinical features of these participants were also collected from the electronic medical record system. Correlation analysis was made to study its clinical associations and a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The prevalence of ANA positivity was 37.4% among 72,204 serum samples of which the median age was 44 (interquartile range: 31, 56) years old and 68.0% were women. The prevalence of the DFS staining pattern was 1.1% in the total population and accounted for 3.1% in the ANA-positive population. There were 97.6% of these cases displaying the DFS pattern with a low titer of ANA (≤1:320; starting serum dilution: 1:100). We found that this pattern correlated with several pathological conditions, such as skin disorders (25.1%), alopecia (4.6%), and obstetric complications (6.6%). Conclusion The presence of the DFS immunofluorescence staining pattern may accompany several pathological conditions and may be a signal of localized inflammation within certain organs or tissues, especially the skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuiwen Deng
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Anqi Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Chaojun Hu
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaofeng Zeng
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
| | - Yunyun Fei
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China
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