[Pathologico-anatomic contribution to antibody detection in immunopathologic diseases]

Results of twenty years experience with identification of anti organ autoantibodies occurring mainly during autoimmune diseases are presented. Cryostat sections from human cadaver tissue and albino-rat kidneys were used for the detection of the above mentioned antibodies, by method of two-step (indirect) immunofluorescence. The study describes working schedule of a newly established subspeciality of pathological anatomy--the "histoserology". The main aim of the study was investigate the occurrence of autoantibodies and to asses the correlation between these findings and health condition of patients. The following antibodies were evaluated: antibodies against epithelia and colloid of thyroid gland, the antibody against parietal cells of stomach mucosa, antibodies against striated ducts of salivary gland and basal elements in its excretory ducts, the antibody against suprarenal cortical elements, the antibody against parathyreoidea, the antibody against smooth muscle cells, anti brush-border antibody, and the anti-nuclear factor as well as the antibodies against intercellular substance and basement membrane of epidermis. Antibody against thyroid gland coloid appears to be of diagnostic value for recognizing of Hashimoto and focal thyroiditis. The finding of antibody against parietal cells indicates the probability of pernicious trait in diagnostically unclear anaemias. On the other hand the finding of such antibody is not very useful in classification of gastritis and its subtyping. The appearance of the phenomenon of "shaggy rim" during the assay for antinuclear factor seems to be very reliable for verification of systemic lupus. The antibody against salivary gland striated ducts does not give fundamental support for diagnosis of Sjögren's disease. Very interesting immunopathological phenomenon is an occurrence of antibody binding to basal cells of salivary gland excretory ducts. To our knowledge, this phenomenon is rather typical for the antibody against cytokeratin polypeptide No 13 and 16. The finding of the antibody against suprarenal gland cortical elements seems to be essential for diagnosis of chronic nonspecific epinephritis since its appearance is mostly without false positivities. Also the antibodies against epidermal intercellular and basement membrane show similar high specificity. Both these antibodies unfortunately often fail and for their high number of false negative results are solely of affirmative importance, since their lack is evidently unwarranted for exclusion of considered disease. Both the findings of antibody against smooth muscle cells and against mitochondria are usefull for the diagnosis of liver lesions especially those of primary biliary cirrhosis. Anti brush-border antibody essentially assists the diagnosis of Crohn's disease and works to differentiate it from ulcerative colitis. Antireticulin antibodies counts frequently for the diagnosis of celiakia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)