Myositis Autoantibodies
Autoantibodies
Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are associated with autoantibodies against nuclear and cytoplasmic antigens. Myositis-specific autoantibodies (MSAs) are specific to patients with IIMs. Myositis-associated autoantibodies (MAAs) can also occur in dermatomyositis but is commonly seen in overlap with another connective tissue disease, such as systemic sclerosis. The immunoprecipitation assay is the gold standard for detection of MSAs, which is not widely available and has limited practical use.
MSAs are detected in more than 60% of patients with DM. Most patients with Dermatomyositis (DM) only have one MSA, and only approximately 20% of patients with DM have a known MSA.
Prevalent myositis specific autoantibodies (MSAs) in DM include anti-Mi2, anti-nuclear matrix protein 2 (anti-NXP2), anti-transcriptional intermediary factor-1 gamma (anti-TIF1-γ), and anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (anti- MDA5) (Table 2-2).
Eight anti-aminoacyl-transfer…
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Autoantibodies
Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are associated with autoantibodies against nuclear and cytoplasmic antigens. Myositis-specific autoantibodies (MSAs) are specific to patients with IIMs. Myositis-associated autoantibodies (MAAs) can also occur in dermatomyositis but is commonly seen in overlap with another connective tissue disease, such as systemic sclerosis. The immunoprecipitation assay is the gold standard for detection of MSAs, which is not widely available and has limited practical use.
MSAs are detected in more than 60% of patients with DM. Most patients with Dermatomyositis (DM) only have one MSA, and only approximately 20% of patients with DM have a known MSA.
Prevalent myositis specific autoantibodies (MSAs) in DM include anti-Mi2, anti-nuclear matrix protein 2 (anti-NXP2), anti-transcriptional intermediary factor-1 gamma (anti-TIF1-γ), and anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (anti- MDA5) (Table 2-2).
Eight anti-aminoacyl-transfer RNA synthetase (ASyS) antibodies (anti-Jo-1, anti-OJ, anti-EJ, anti-KS, anti Zo, anti-Ha/YRS, anti-PL-12, and anti-PL-1) have been associated with the anti-synthetase syndrome. The clinical presentation of anti-synthetase syndrome is heterogeneous and varies by anti-ARS antibody.
MSAs are associated with characteristic clinical features and can alert physicians to potentially associated systemic manifestations (Table 2-3). MSAs can be used as biomarkers for specific DM phenotypes and enable categorization and stratification of patients into subgroups with consistent clinical phenotypes.
Patients suspected of having DM should be screened for MAAs, including ANA and anti-extractable nuclear antigen (ENA) antibodies such as anti-SSA (Ro). Testing for MSA is not standardized, and commercially available tests use variable methodologies.
References
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