Autoantibodies to 60kDa SS-A/Ro yield a specific nuclear myriad discrete fine speckled immunofluorescence pattern.
OBJECTIVE
To report on a novel immunofluorescence pattern specifically associated with antibodies to SS-A/Ro.


METHODS
A novel immunofluorescence pattern, herein designated SS-A/Ro pattern, was characterized as myriad discrete fine speckles throughout the nucleus. Eighty-six sequential samples presenting the SS-A/Ro pattern and 64 samples presenting non-SS-A/Ro nuclear fine speckled pattern at the ANA-HEp-2 routine were screened for SS-A/Ro reactivity. Conversely, 48 samples with known reactivity to 60kDa SS-A/Ro, 13 samples with exclusive reactivity to 52kDa SS-A/Ro, and 48 SS-A/Ro-negative samples were analyzed for the ANA-HEp-2 pattern.


RESULTS
Eighty-five of the 86 samples (98.8%) presenting the SS-A/Ro pattern and 15 of the 64 (23.4%) samples with non-SS-A/Ro fine speckled pattern reacted with 60kDa SS-A/Ro. Conversely, 44 (91.6%) of 48 samples with known reactivity to 60kDa SS-A/Ro presented the SS-A/Ro pattern and four (8.4%) presented non-SS-A/Ro fine speckled pattern. None of the 48 anti-SS-A/Ro-negative samples and none of anti-52kDa SS-A/Ro-positive samples yielded the SS-A/Ro pattern. This immunofluorescence pattern was observed in different commercial HEp-2 cell slides and in homemade HEp-2 cell slides.


CONCLUSIONS
The SS-A/Ro pattern belongs to the group of immunofluorescence patterns that hold strong association with the respective autoantibody specificities, such as those associated with CENP-F and NuMA-1. The identification of the SS-A/Ro pattern at the ANA-HEp-2 screening routine shall lead to specific tests for the identification of anti-SS-A/Ro antibodies.
Research and Development Division, Fleury Medicine and Health Laboratories, São Paulo, Brazil. alessandra.dellavance@grupofleury.com.br
Alessandra
A
Dellavance
Rossana Rassi
RR
Alvarenga
Silvia Helena
SH
Rodrigues
Silvia Helena
SH
Barbosa
Amandia Cristina Pinto
AC
Camilo
Herika Santiago Okamoto
HS
Shiguedomi
Silvia Sanchez
SS
Rodrigues
Cristiane Gallindo
CG
Silva
Luis Eduardo Coelho
LE
Andrade
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008970:Molecular Weight; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; C035356:SS-A antibodies