title: Unmasking anti-endomysial antibodies in coeliac subjects positive for anti-smooth muscle antibodies.
abstract: Anti-endomysial antibodies assayed by indirect immunofluorescence presently represent the most advanced in vitro method for diagnosing coeliac disease. While testing the serum of patients affected by coeliac disease for anti-endomysial antibodies, we noticed in some samples the presence of anti-smooth muscle antibodies. This led us to the hypothesis that anti-smooth muscle antibodies might mask the presence of anti-endomysial antibodies. The aim of our research was to develop a method that could confirm our hypothesis. Here we show that the AEA response can be effectively unmasked by increasingly diluting anti-smooth muscle antibodies-positive serum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lasagni
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lapini
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002446:Celiac Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D007201:Indicator Dilution Techniques; D007223:Infant; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000276:immunology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies