The importance of alpha-fodrin antibodies in the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
We wanted to determine the prevalence of IgA and IgG antibodies against alpha-fodrin in the patients with primary and secondary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and also to compare with anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies in the diagnosis of SS.


METHODS
We tested the prevalence of anti-alpha-fodrin IgA, IgG, anti-Ro, anti-La antibodies, anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) and rheumatoid factor (RF) in naive patients with primary (n = 20) and secondary SS (n = 20) (Rheumatoid Arthritis [RA]+SS, n = 10; Systemic Lupus Erythematosus [SLE] + SS, n = 10), RA (n = 10), SLE (n = 10) and in healthy controls (n = 20). Salivary gland biopsies were performed in the patients with primary and secondary SS.


RESULTS
In primary SS, anti-alpha-fodrin IgA, IgG, anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies were detected as 20, 10, 55 and 20% respectively. In RA + SS, anti-alpha-fodrin IgA was detected to be 10% and IgG was negative; however, anti-Ro antibodies and anti-La antibodies were found to be 40% and 20% respectively. In SLE + SS, anti-alpha-fodrin IgA was found to be 20% and IgG was found to be 10%, but anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies were found to be 90% and 20% respectively. Alpha-fodrin antibodies were not detected in RA, SLE and healthy controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The detection of anti-alpha-fodrin antibodies by used ELISA does not give much contribution to the diagnosis of SS, and anti-Ro and anti-La are still useful serological markers in the diagnosis of SS.
Turkçapar
Nuran
N
Department of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Ankara University School of Medicine, 4. Sok. 22/50 Manolya Apt., Sogutozu, 06520 Ankara, Turkey. nurant@tr.net
Olmez
Umit
U
Tutkak
Huseyin
H
Duman
Murat
M
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000276:immunology; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000473:pathology; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D000097585:SS-B Antigen; D013049:Spectrin; D000099207:SS-A Antigen
D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D015415:Biomarkers; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D000097585:SS-B Antigen; D013049:Spectrin; D000099207:SS-A Antigen