title: Anti-IFN autoantibodies are present in healthy Egyptian blood donors at low titer.
abstract: Autoantibody against interferon is associated in many viral and non-viral diseases. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anti-IFN-alpha autoantibodies in healthy Egyptian blood donors. The study included 558 (100 females (17.92%) and 458 males (82.08%)) Egyptian healthy blood donors who showed normal levels of liver enzymes and kidney tests and were conformed negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies (Abs), HIV-1/2 Abs, anti-HBc and Treponema Abs. Autoantibody against IFN-alpha-1a and IFN-alpha-2b were screened using ELISA. Anti-IFN-alpha-1a positive cases were found to be 43 subject (7.76%; 6 females (1.08%); 37 males (6.68%)) and anti-IFN-alpha-2b positive cases were found to be 3 (0.54%; all males). Combined positivity against both IFN-alpha-1a and IFN-alpha-2b was 38 (6.86%; 7 females (1.26%) and 31 males (6.60%)). From these findings we can conclude that antibodies against IFN-alpha are present in considerable number at low titer in accepted blood donors.
authors.affiliation: Blood Products Quality Control and Research Department, National Organization for Research and Control of Biologicals, Cairo, Egypt. essamebrahim@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Essam H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001782:Blood Donors; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; C554156:IFNA1 protein, human; C554158:IFNA2 protein, human; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase