title: Detection of autoantibodies to Ro(SS-A), La(SS-B) and U1RNP in different congenital heart rhythm disorders using immunoblot and enzyme immunoassay.
abstract: The aim of the study was to determine if autoantibodies have distinctive qualitative or quantitative characteristics in children with congenital heart rhythm disorders compared to unaffected infants. Sera of fifty-three infants with different heart rhythm disorders and eight unaffected children born to SLE mothers were tested for antibodies to Ro(SS-A), La(SS-B) and U1RNP (including recombinant A-, C-, 68 kD-proteins) using enzyme immunoassays and immunoblot. 21 sera from affected and 8 sera from healthy children reacted in counter-immunoelectrophoresis with Ro(SS-A). 8/8 infants with third degree atrioventricular (AV)-block, 4/8 with first degree AV-block, one with sinusbradyarrhythmia (SB) and another with SB/first degree AV-block were anti-52 kD Ro(SS-A) positive compared to 7/8 healthy infants. Infants with third degree AV-block had significantly higher anti-52 kD Ro(SS-A) levels than those with the milder heart rhythm disorders (P < 0.01) and the healthy group (P < 0.002). Anti-La(SS-B) antibodies were detected significantly (P < 0.01) and in significantly higher titres (P < 0.01) in AV III than in other types of congenital heart block. Anti-U1RNP-68 kD antibodies were positive in 3/8 healthy, 2/8 first degree AV-block and in 1/8 third degree AV-block cases. Third degree AV-block was more frequently found in female infants (P < 0.05). It was concluded that the influence of antibody levels to the 52 kD Ro(SS-A) and La(SS-B) components and the association of anti-52 kD Ro(SS-A), La(SS-B) and -60 kD Ro(SS-A) antibodies, as well as the sex, on the severity of congenital AV-conduction defects suggests involvement of these factors in the pathogenesis of these disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, Humboldt-University at Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dörner
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Trebeljahr
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Göldner
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Apostoloff
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hiepe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006327:Heart Block / Q000151:congenital* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D020733:RNA, Small Cytoplasmic; D017412:Ribonucleoprotein, U1 Small Nuclear / Q000276:immunology*; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D000097585:SS-B Antigen; D000099207:SS-A Antigen
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D020733:RNA, Small Cytoplasmic; D017412:Ribonucleoprotein, U1 Small Nuclear; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D000097585:SS-B Antigen; D000099207:SS-A Antigen; C116006:RO60 protein, human