Organ and non-organ specific autoantibody titres and IgG levels as markers of disease activity: A longitudinal study in childhood autoimmune liver disease

TY - JOUR

T1 - Organ and non-organ specific autoantibody titres and IgG levels as markers of disease activity: A longitudinal study in childhood autoimmune liver disease

AU - Gregorio, G V

AU - McFarlane, B

AU - Bracken, P

AU - Vergani, D

AU - Mieli-Vergani, G

PY - 2002/12

Y1 - 2002/12

N2 - No longitudinal study has investigated whether autoantibody titres and serum IgG levels correlate with disease activity in autoimmune liver disease. To determine this, we investigated prospectively 19 patients on 254 occasions between 10 months to 5 years from diagnosis. Nine had anti-nuclear and/or anti-smooth muscle antibody (ANA/SMA) positive autoimmune hepatitis (type 1 AIH), 5 liver kidney microsomal type 1 (LKM-1) positive AM (type 2 AIH) and 5 ANA/SMA positive autoimmune sclerosing cholangitis (ASC). Correlation between IgG levels, titres of ANA; SMA and LKM-1 and levels of the organ specific autoantibodies anti-liver specific protein (anti-LSP), and anti-asialoglycoprotein receptor (anti-ASGPR) with biochemical evidence of disease activity, as measured by serum aspartate amino transferase (AST) levels, was sought during the course of the disease. AST levels correlated with levels of anti-LSP, anti-ASGPR and IgG in type 1 and 2 AM, but not in ASC. Positive correlation with AST was also observed for LKM-1 titres in type 2 AIH and for SMA titres in type 1 AIH, but not in ASC. In both AIH and ASC, AST levels correlated with the T cell-dependent immune responses anti rubella IgG and anti tetanus toxoid IgG, but not with the T cell-independent IgG(2) response to pneumococcal capsular polysaccaride. Our results indicate that measurement of organ and non-organ specific autoantibodies and IgG levels may be used to monitor disease activity in AIH.

AB - No longitudinal study has investigated whether autoantibody titres and serum IgG levels correlate with disease activity in autoimmune liver disease. To determine this, we investigated prospectively 19 patients on 254 occasions between 10 months to 5 years from diagnosis. Nine had anti-nuclear and/or anti-smooth muscle antibody (ANA/SMA) positive autoimmune hepatitis (type 1 AIH), 5 liver kidney microsomal type 1 (LKM-1) positive AM (type 2 AIH) and 5 ANA/SMA positive autoimmune sclerosing cholangitis (ASC). Correlation between IgG levels, titres of ANA; SMA and LKM-1 and levels of the organ specific autoantibodies anti-liver specific protein (anti-LSP), and anti-asialoglycoprotein receptor (anti-ASGPR) with biochemical evidence of disease activity, as measured by serum aspartate amino transferase (AST) levels, was sought during the course of the disease. AST levels correlated with levels of anti-LSP, anti-ASGPR and IgG in type 1 and 2 AM, but not in ASC. Positive correlation with AST was also observed for LKM-1 titres in type 2 AIH and for SMA titres in type 1 AIH, but not in ASC. In both AIH and ASC, AST levels correlated with the T cell-dependent immune responses anti rubella IgG and anti tetanus toxoid IgG, but not with the T cell-independent IgG(2) response to pneumococcal capsular polysaccaride. Our results indicate that measurement of organ and non-organ specific autoantibodies and IgG levels may be used to monitor disease activity in AIH.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036933441&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/0891693021000056721

DO - 10.1080/0891693021000056721

M3 - Article

VL - 35

SP - 515

EP - 519

JO - Autoimmunity

JF - Autoimmunity

IS - 8

ER -