title: Gastrointestinal-associated autoantibodies in different autoimmune diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastrointestinal (GI)-related autoantibodies (Abs) are rarely evaluated in autoimmune diseases (AID) other than inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune hepatitis and celiac disease. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of these antibodies in a wide spectrum of AID.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 923 serum samples representing 18 AID and compared them with 338 samples from healthy subjects. We used the BioPlex 2200-immunoassay (Bio-Rad, USA) to test samples for the presence of IgA and IgG directed at gliadin (AGA), tissue-transglutaminase (tTG), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ASCA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of IgA AGA was significantly higher in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) (7.1 %, P=0.012) and in pemphigus vulgaris (25%, P =0.008) patients, as compared with healthy controls. Presence of IgG-AGA was more common among Crohn's disease (20.5%, P = 0.023) and rheumatoid arthritis (6.5%, P=0.027) patients. IgG anti tTG were frequently observed in APS (6.1%, P=0.012), in giant cell arteritis (11.5%, P=0.013) and in ulcerative colitis (11.1%, P=0.018) patients, and as expected, higher prevalence of ASCA (IgA 19.3% and IgG 27.7%) was found in Crohn's disease. IgG ASCA were also found in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (4.5%, P=0.01), in Graves' disease (5.7%, P=0.018), in cryoglobulinemia (7.1%, P=0.006), and in patients with vasculitides (6.5%, P=0.002). In contrast, lower prevalence of IgG type AGA was found in SLE (P=0.034), cryoglobulinemia (P=0.019) and vasculitides (P=0.013) patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest an association between GI-related- Abs and a wide spectrum of AID. The clinical implication of these findings is yet to be determined.
authors.affiliation: The Zabludowicz Center for Autoimmune Diseases, Internal Medicine B, Sheba Medical Center affiliated to Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University Israel.
authors.forename: Dana Ben-Ami
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Shor
authors.forename: Hedi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Orbach
authors.forename: Mona
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boaz
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Altman
authors.forename: Juan-Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Anaya
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bizzaro
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tincani
authors.forename: Ricard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cervera
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Espinosa
authors.forename: Ljudmila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Stojanovich
authors.forename: Blaž
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rozman
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bombardieri
authors.forename: Salvatore De
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Vita
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Damoiseaux
authors.forename: Danilo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Villalta
authors.forename: Elio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tonutti
authors.forename: Renato
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tozzoli
authors.forename: Ori
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Barzilai
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.forename: Miri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blank
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Agmon-Levin
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoenfeld
keywords: Gliadin (AGA); Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ASCA); autoantibodies; inflammatory bowel diseases.; tissue-transglutaminase (tTG)