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Pan Z, Zhang W. Causal relationship between primary sclerosing cholangitis and systemic lupus erythematosus: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study. Eur J Med Res 2024; 29:351. [PMID: 38943194 PMCID: PMC11212221 DOI: 10.1186/s40001-024-01941-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Observational studies have found a link between two autoimmune diseases, namely, primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, the relationship remains unclear. METHODS Bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis and statistical methods, including inverse variance weighting, weighted median, and MR-Egger tests, were performed using data from genome-wide association studies to detect a causal relationship between PSC and SLE. Sensitivity analyses were subsequently performed to assess the robustness of the results. Univariate MR methods were also investigated. RESULTS Results of MR analysis suggested that PSC was associated with an increased risk for SLE (odds ratio: 1.33, 95% confidence interval: 1.10-1.61, P=0.0039) However, SLE had no significant causal relationship with PSC. CONCLUSION Results of MR analysis revealed that patients with PSC were at an increased risk for SLE, which provides new insights into the relationship between these two autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwen Pan
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education; NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Weijie Zhang
- Institute of Organ Transplantation, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Ministry of Education; NHC Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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Wang Y, Zhou Z, Zhang HP. Causal association between systemic lupus erythematosus and primary biliary cholangitis: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e38282. [PMID: 38788005 PMCID: PMC11124658 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000038282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
An association has been observed between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in observational studies, however, the exact causal link remains unclear. We aim to evaluate the causal relationships between SLE and PBC through bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR). Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected as instrumental variables from publicly accessible genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in European populations. The PBC and SLE GWAS data were obtained from the MRC IEU Open GWAS database, consisting of 24,510 and 14,267 samples, respectively. After a series of quality control and outlier removal, inverse variance weighted was used as the primary approach to evaluate the causal association between SLE and PBC. The horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity were examined by the MR-Egger intercept test and Cochran Q value, respectively. Seven SNPs were included to examine the causal effect of SLE on PBC. Genetically predicted SLE may increase the risk of PBC development, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.324 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.220 ∼ 1.437, P ˂ .001). Twenty SNPs were included to explore the causal effect of PBC on SLE. Genetically predicted PBC may increase the risk of SLE development, with an OR of 1.414 (95% CI 1.323 ∼ 1.511, P ˂ .001). Horizontal pleiotropy and heterogeneity were absent (P > .05) among SNPs. The robustness of our results was further enhanced by using the leave-one-out method. Our research has provided new insights into SLE and PBC, indicating bidirectional causal associations between the 2 diseases. These findings offer valuable contributions to future clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- Department of Nephrology & Rheumatology, Hubei NO.3 People’s Hospital of Jianghan University, Wuhan City, China
| | - Zhe Zhou
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Wuhan Sports University, Wuhan City, China
| | - Hai-Ping Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hubei NO.3 People’s Hospital of Jianghan University, Wuhan City, China
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Tao T, Tang A, Lv L, Yuan J, Wu L, Zhao L, Chen J. Investigating the causal relationship and potential shared diagnostic genes between primary biliary cholangitis and systemic lupus erythematosus using bidirectional Mendelian randomization and transcriptomic analyses. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1270401. [PMID: 38464525 PMCID: PMC10921416 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1270401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The co-occurrence of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been consistently reported in observational studies. Nevertheless, the underlying causal correlation between these two conditions still needs to be established. Methods We performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study to assess their causal association. Five MR analysis methods were utilized for causal inference, with inverse-variance weighted (IVW) selected as the primary method. The Mendelian Randomization Pleiotropy RESidual Sum and Outlier (MR-PRESSO) and the IVW Radial method were applied to exclude outlying SNPs. To assess the robustness of the MR results, five sensitivity analyses were carried out. Multivariable MR (MVMR) analysis was also employed to evaluate the effect of possible confounders. In addition, we integrated transcriptomic data from PBC and SLE, employing Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to explore shared genes between the two diseases. Then, we used Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment methods to perform on the shared genes. The Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression algorithm was utilized to identify potential shared diagnostic genes. Finally, we verified the potential shared diagnostic genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs)-specific cell populations of SLE patients by single-cell analysis. Results Our MR study provided evidence that PBC had a causal relationship with SLE (IVW, OR: 1.347, 95% CI: 1.276 - 1.422, P < 0.001) after removing outliers (MR-PRESSO, rs35464393, rs3771317; IVW Radial, rs11065987, rs12924729, rs3745516). Conversely, SLE also had a causal association with PBC (IVW, OR: 1.225, 95% CI: 1.141 - 1.315, P < 0.001) after outlier correction (MR-PRESSO, rs11065987, rs3763295, rs7774434; IVW Radial, rs2297067). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the MR findings. MVMR analysis indicated that body mass index (BMI), smoking and drinking were not confounding factors. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis identified PARP9, ABCA1, CEACAM1, and DDX60L as promising diagnostic biomarkers for PBC and SLE. These four genes are highly expressed in CD14+ monocytes in PBMCs of SLE patients and potentially associated with innate immune responses and immune activation. Conclusion Our study confirmed the bidirectional causal relationship between PBC and SLE and identified PARP9, ABCA1, CEACAM1, and DDX60L genes as the most potentially shared diagnostic genes between the two diseases, providing insights for the exploration of the underlying mechanisms of these disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Tao
- Department of Nephrology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Anqi Tang
- Department of Nephrology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Lizeyu Lv
- Department of Nephrology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianhua Yuan
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Chengdu Second People’s Hospital, Chengdu, Chengdu, China
| | - Ling Wu
- Department of Nephrology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Liangbin Zhao
- Department of Nephrology, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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Gao X, Xiao G, Yang F, Dou R, Xue M, Zhang Y, Zheng Z, Ding J. Laboratory risk factors for coexistent primary biliary cholangitis in patients with Sjögren's syndrome: a retrospective study. BMC Gastroenterol 2023; 23:220. [PMID: 37365494 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-023-02859-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Limited research exists on the laboratory characteristics of coexistent primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and Sjögren's syndrome (SS). This study aimed to investigate the laboratory risk factors for the coexistence of PBC in patients with SS. METHODS Eighty-two patients with coexistent SS and PBC (median age 52.50 years) and 82 age- and sex-matched SS controls were retrospectively enrolled between July 2015 and July 2021. The clinical and laboratory characteristics of the two groups were compared. Laboratory risk factors for the coexistence of PBC in patients with SS were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Both groups had a similar prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, thyroid disease, and interstitial lung disease. Compared with the SS group, patients in the SS + PBC group had higher levels of liver enzymes, immunoglobulins M (IgM), G2, and G3 (P < 0.05). The percentage of patients with an antinuclear antibody (ANA) titre > 1:10000 in the SS + PBC group was 56.1%, higher than that in the SS group (19.5%, P < 0.05). Additionally, cytoplasmic, centromeric, and nuclear membranous patterns of ANA and positive anti-centromere antibody (ACA) were observed more frequently in the SS + PBC group (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that elevated IgM levels, high ANA titre, cytoplasmic pattern, and ACA were independent risk factors for PBC coexistence in SS. CONCLUSIONS In addition to established risk factors, elevated IgM levels, positive ACA, and high ANA titre with cytoplasmic pattern provide clues to clinicians for the early screening and diagnosis of PBC in patients with SS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Gao
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 127 Changle West Rd., Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Guangzhi Xiao
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 127 Changle West Rd., Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Fengfan Yang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 127 Changle West Rd., Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Rongrong Dou
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 127 Changle West Rd., Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Miao Xue
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 127 Changle West Rd., Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yingying Zhang
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 127 Changle West Rd., Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhaohui Zheng
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 127 Changle West Rd., Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jin Ding
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, No. 127 Changle West Rd., Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, China.
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Jaskowski TD, Nandakumar V, Novis CL, Palmer M, Tebo AE. Presence of anti-gp210 or anti-sp100 antibodies in AMA-positive patients may help support a diagnosis of primary biliary cholangitis. Clin Chim Acta 2023; 540:117219. [PMID: 36610465 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2023.117219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anti-mitochondrial antibody (AMA) positivity is not always associated with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). We aimed to determine the additional value of anti-sp100 or anti-gp210 antibody in AMA-positive patients for PBC. METHODS Patients (n = 190) and healthy donors (n = 50) were evaluated for AMA, anti-gp210 and anti-sp100 antibodies by ELISA. Antibody frequencies in cohorts and performance characteristics in some patients categorized as 'definitive-', 'probable-', and 'no PBC' were determined following review of their charts. RESULTS Of the patients (n = 190), 38.4% were AMA-positive (n = 73) and 61.6% AMA-negative (n = 117). Frequency of anti-sp100 or anti-gp210 antibody was 17.8%, 2.6%, and 0% in AMA-positive, AMA-negative and healthy controls, respectively. Clinical data was available for 63 of 73 AMA-positive patients with 28.6%, 22.2%, and 49.2% categorized as definite, probable, and no PBC, respectively. Patients with definite PBC had higher mean levels of AMA and frequencies of sp100 or gp210 antibody compared to other groups. Sensitivities were low (anti-sp100: 18.8% and anti-gp210: 16.7%) with specificities above 98.0% for both. CONCLUSION AMA-positive patients positive for anti-sp100 or anti-gp210 antibody were more likely to have a diagnosis of definite or probable PBC than those with AMA alone. Use of all tests is likely to improve characterization of patients at-risk for PBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Troy D Jaskowski
- ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Vijayalakshmi Nandakumar
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, UT, United States; ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Camille L Novis
- ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Michael Palmer
- ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Anne E Tebo
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City, UT, United States; ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.
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Andraos R, Ahmad A, Eriksson P, Dahlström Ö, Wirestam L, Dahle C, Hesselstrand R, Bengtsson AA, Jönsen A, Andréasson K, Sjöwall C. Autoantibodies associated with systemic sclerosis in three autoimmune diseases imprinted by type I interferon gene dysregulation: a comparison across SLE, primary Sjögren's syndrome and systemic sclerosis. Lupus Sci Med 2022; 9:9/1/e000732. [PMID: 36581379 PMCID: PMC9806068 DOI: 10.1136/lupus-2022-000732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE SLE, primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) are heterogeneous autoimmune diseases with a dysregulated type I interferon (IFN) system. The diseases often show overlapping clinical manifestations, which may result in diagnostic challenges. We asked to which extent SSc-associated autoantibodies are present in SLE and pSS, and whether these link to serum IFN-α, clinical phenotypes and sex. Samples with clinical data from patients with SSc and healthy blood donors (HBDs) served as controls. Finally, the diagnostic performance of SSc-associated autoantibodies was evaluated. METHODS Samples from well-characterised subjects with SLE (n=510), pSS (n=116), SSc (n=57) and HBDs (n=236) were analysed using a commercially available immunoassay (EuroLine Systemic Sclerosis Profile (IgG)). IFN-α was quantified by ELISA. Self-reported data on Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) were available. RESULTS With exceptions for anti-Ro52/SSA and anti-Th/To, SSc-associated autoantibodies were more frequent in SSc than in SLE, pSS and HBDs regardless of sex. IFN-α levels correlated with the number of positive SSc-associated autoantibodies (r=0.29, p<0.0001) and associated with Ro52/SSA positivity (p<0.0001). By using data from SLE, SSc and HBDs, RP was significantly associated with topoisomerase I, centromere protein (CENP)-B, RNA polymerase III 11 kDa, RNA polymerase III 155 kDa and PM-Scl100 whereas Ro52/SSA associated inversely with RP. In SLE, CENP-A was associated with immunological disorder, CENP-B with serositis and Ku with lupus nephritis. By combining analysis of ANA (immunofluorescence) with SSc-associated autoantibodies, the diagnostic sensitivity reached 98% and the specificity 33%. CONCLUSIONS The 13 specificities included in the EuroLine immunoassay are commonly detected in SSc, but they are also frequent among individuals with other diseases imprinted by type I IFNs. These findings are valuable when interpreting serological data on patients with suspected SSc, especially as patients may present with disease manifestations overlapping different rheumatological diseases. In SLE, we observed associations between manifestations and SSc-associated autoantibodies which have not previously been reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rama Andraos
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection/Rheumatology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Awais Ahmad
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection/Clinical Immunology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Per Eriksson
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection/Rheumatology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Örjan Dahlström
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Lina Wirestam
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection/Rheumatology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Charlotte Dahle
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection/Clinical Immunology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Roger Hesselstrand
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Anders A Bengtsson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Andreas Jönsen
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Kristofer Andréasson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Christopher Sjöwall
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection/Rheumatology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Duan W, Chen S, Li S, Lv T, Li B, Wang X, Wang Y, Zhao X, Ma H, Ou X, You H, Jia J. The future risk of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is low among patients with incidental anti-mitochondrial antibodies but without baseline PBC. Hepatol Commun 2022; 6:3112-3119. [PMID: 35998274 PMCID: PMC9592779 DOI: 10.1002/hep4.2067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Anti-mitochondrial autoantibodies (AMAs) are highly specific for the diagnosis of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) but are also occasionally found in other diseases. In the present study, we evaluated the incidence of and predictors for PBC development in AMA-positive patients with other liver or non-liver diseases at baseline. In this retrospective study, we screened patients who tested positive for AMA and/or anti-mitochondrial M2 antibody (AMA-M2) at Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, from October 2005 to January 2017. They were categorized by their diagnosis at the baseline as patients with PBC or non-PBC cases. We followed up on the non-PBC cases through telephone interviews and reviewing of medical records to obtain laboratory results and clinical outcomes. In total, 139 patients were AMA-positive but did not fulfill the diagnostic criteria of PBC at baseline, including 51 patients with non-PBC liver diseases and 88 cases with non-liver diseases. The titers of AMA-M2, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and immunoglobulin M were significantly higher in patients with PBC compared to those with non-PBC liver diseases and non-liver diseases. After a median follow-up of 4.6 (interquartile range: 2.4-7.6) years, 4.3% (6 of 139) developed PBC, with an accumulative 5-year incidence rate of 4.2%. None of the patients with non-PBC liver diseases developed PBC, whereas the 5-year incidence rate of PBC was 7.8% among 88 patients with non-liver diseases. Lower alanine aminotransferase and higher immunoglobulin M were independent predictors for developing PBC. Conclusion: Our results suggest a low risk of developing PBC over time in AMA-positive patients with other liver and non-liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijia Duan
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive DiseasesLiver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Sha Chen
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive DiseasesLiver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Shuxiang Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive DiseasesLiver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Tingting Lv
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive DiseasesLiver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Buer Li
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive DiseasesLiver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xiaoming Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive DiseasesLiver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yu Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive DiseasesLiver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xinyan Zhao
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive DiseasesLiver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Hong Ma
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive DiseasesLiver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Xiaojuan Ou
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive DiseasesLiver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Hong You
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive DiseasesLiver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jidong Jia
- National Clinical Research Center for Digestive DiseasesLiver Research Center, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical UniversityBeijingChina
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Ahmad A, Dahle C, Rönnelid J, Sjöwall C, Kechagias S. Autoantibodies Associated with Autoimmune Liver Diseases in a Healthy Population: Evaluation of a Commercial Immunoblot Test. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12071572. [PMID: 35885478 PMCID: PMC9320916 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12071572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoantibodies constitute important tools for diagnosing the autoimmune liver diseases (AILD) autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cholangitis. The EUROLINE immunoblot assay, detecting multiple specificities, is widely used, but the clinical importance of weakly positive findings is unclear. The manufacturer’s recommended cut-off was evaluated by investigating AILD-associated autoantibodies in 825 blood donors and 60 confirmed AILD cases. Positive findings were followed up with immunofluorescence microscopy on rat tissue, anti-M2-ELISA, alternative immunoblot assay, and liver function tests. Thirty-six (4.4%) blood donors were positive with EUROLINE. The most common specificities were LC-1 (1.6%), gp210 (1.3%), and AMA-M2 (1.1%). In general, the positive results were higher in patients than in blood donors, whereas anti-LC-1 was higher in blood donors. The liver function tests were slightly elevated in 2 of the 36 immunoblot positive blood donors. The majority of the positive EUROLINE findings could not be confirmed with the follow-up tests. The EUROLINE-Autoimmune Liver Diseases-(IgG) immunoblot detected autoantibodies in 4.4% of blood donors without signs of AILD. Our findings indicate that the recommended cut-off can be raised for most specificities without loss of diagnostic sensitivity. The prevalence of anti-LC-1 among blood donors indicates a problem with the antigen source.
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Affiliation(s)
- Awais Ahmad
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection/Clinical Immunology & Transfusion Medicine, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden;
- Correspondence:
| | - Charlotte Dahle
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection/Clinical Immunology & Transfusion Medicine, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden;
| | - Johan Rönnelid
- Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Christopher Sjöwall
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection/Rheumatology, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden;
| | - Stergios Kechagias
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Division of Diagnostics and Specialist Medicine/Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden;
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Colapietro F, Lleo A, Generali E. Antimitochondrial Antibodies: from Bench to Bedside. Clin Rev Allergy Immunol 2022; 63:166-177. [PMID: 34586589 PMCID: PMC8480115 DOI: 10.1007/s12016-021-08904-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMA) are directed against the E2 subunits of the 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complexes (PDC-E2) and are the typical biomarkers of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), being present in 90-95% of patients, with increasing sensitivity at increasing titers. Albeit being highly specific for PBC diagnosis, AMA can be detected in less than 1% of healthy subjects, and thus the management subjects with no sign or symptom of liver disease is still a challenge and data concerning clinical risk of developing PBC in this subgroup of patients are controversial. Moreover, AMA can also be detected in patients affected by overlap syndrome, as well as hepatic diseases (i.e., NASH and viral hepatitis), while the association with autoimmune diseases, in particular Sjögren's syndrome, systemic sclerosis, and systemic lupus erythematosus, is well established. Furthermore, new associations are being identified with inflammatory myositis and heart disease. AMA are directed towards the pyruvate dehydrogenase multi enzyme complex (PDC-E2) subunit, which represents an epithelial specific autoantigen for PBC. This review focuses on the main characteristics of AMA, their association with autoimmune diseases and liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Colapietro
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
- Division of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Gastroenterology, Humanitas Research Hospital IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Ana Lleo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy.
- Division of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Gastroenterology, Humanitas Research Hospital IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Elena Generali
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy
- Division of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, Department of Gastroenterology, Humanitas Research Hospital IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
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Heijke R, Ahmad A, Frodlund M, Wirestam L, Dahlström Ö, Dahle C, Kechagias S, Sjöwall C. Usefulness of Clinical and Laboratory Criteria for Diagnosing Autoimmune Liver Disease among Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: An Observational Study. J Clin Med 2021; 10:3820. [PMID: 34501268 PMCID: PMC8432263 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10173820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abnormal liver function tests are frequently observed during follow-up of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) but data on co-existence with autoimmune liver diseases (AILD) are scarce. This retrospective study aimed to describe the prevalence of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) among well-characterized subjects with SLE. We also evaluated whether the presence of autoantibodies to complement protein 1q (C1q) and/or ribosomal P protein (anti-ribP) are, directly or inversely, associated with AIH, as proposed in some reports. The number of screened patients was 287 (86% females), and all cases were included in a regional Swedish cohort. Each subject of the study population met the 1982 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria and/or the Fries' diagnostic principle. By applying the simplified diagnostic AIH criteria combined with persistent transaminasemia, 40 (13.9%) cases reached at least "probable AIH". However, merely 8 of these had been diagnosed with AIH (overall AIH prevalence 2.8%). Neither anti-C1q nor anti-ribP associated significantly with AIH. By applying the recent PBC guidelines, 6 (2.1%) cases were found, but only 3 of them had actually been diagnosed with PBC and one additional subject was not identified by the guidelines (overall PBC prevalence 1.4%). Compared to prevalence data from the general Swedish population, both AIH and PBC were highly overrepresented in our study population. The sensitivity of the diagnostic AIH criteria was impeccable but the specificity was less impressive, mainly due to positive ANA and hypergammaglobulinemia. Based on our findings, among subjects with SLE, the AIH criteria are less useful and liver biopsy combined with detection of other AILD-associated autoantibodies should be performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Heijke
- Clinic of Internal Medicine, Region Jönköping County, SE-553 05 Jönköping, Sweden;
| | - Awais Ahmad
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection/Clinical Immunology, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden; (A.A.); (C.D.)
| | - Martina Frodlund
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection/Rheumatology, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden; (M.F.); (L.W.)
| | - Lina Wirestam
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection/Rheumatology, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden; (M.F.); (L.W.)
| | - Örjan Dahlström
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden;
| | - Charlotte Dahle
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection/Clinical Immunology, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden; (A.A.); (C.D.)
| | - Stergios Kechagias
- Department of Health, Division of Diagnostics and Specialist Medicine/Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden;
| | - Christopher Sjöwall
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Inflammation and Infection/Rheumatology, Linköping University, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden; (M.F.); (L.W.)
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