A rapid assay for circulating anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies in Goodpasture syndrome

A rapid ELISA for the detection of circulating anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies in Goodpasture syndrome is described. The specificity of the test was shown to be highly dependent on the antigens used. Using the purified Goodpasture antigen it was possible to shorten the incubation times to 10 min in a routine assay using alkaline phosphatase-labeled second antibodies and the total assay was complete in 30 min. 200 reference sera, 500 sera from patients with various types of glomerulonephritis and 32 sera from patients with Goodpasture syndrome were analyzed by this rapid assay. The assay was able to discriminate between Goodpasture syndrome and other forms of glomerulonephritis. Using enzyme amplification it was possible to further shorten the incubation times to 1 min and the total time of the assay to 6 min.