[Non-organ specific anticytoplasmic autoantibodies. Immunoserologic detection and diagnostic relevance]

The detection of circulating serum antibodies that react with various nuclear or cytoplasmic antigens of cell substrates has become an established investigation in the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases. Antinuclear antibodies as well as some non-organ-specific anticytoplasmic autoantibodies might be of diagnostic significance. Some examples are anti-mitochondrial antibodies in autoimmune liver diseases, anti-cytoskeletal antibodies in chronic active hepatitis, polymyositis and infectious diseases and microsomal antibodies in juvenile cryptogenic liver cirrhosis. New techniques and methods such as indirect immunofluorescence on tissue culture substrates, enzymelinked immunoassays and immunoblotting tests now form the basis of further studies. These tests allow a more sensitive and specific assay for lysosomal and Golgi apparatus antigens. It may be possible to more precisely associate particular anti-cytoplasmic antibodies that react with autoimmune diseases.