Tissue distribution of autoantigen specific for primary sclerosing cholangitis

To investigate the tissue distribution of the autoantigen specific for primary sclerosing cholangitis.

A range of normal frozen tissues including nervous system, muscle, uterus, ovary, prostate, pancreas, thyroid, salivary gland, adrenal gland, colon, gall bladder, stomach, jejunum, aorta, skin, kidney, liver, spleen and thymus was sectioned, fixed with acetone, and air-dried. Normal bone marrow and HL60, K562, and U937 cells were cytocentrifuged on to slides, air-dried, and alcohol fixed. Four sera from primary sclerosing cholangitis with high titre antibody (> 1/100) were used to screen the tissues using either two-step or APAAP immunohistochemistry. Normal sera were used as controls.

Positive signal was detected in neutrophils in spleen with three out of four primary sclerosing cholangitis sera while one out of four primary sclerosing cholangitis sera stained spindle cells in the liver. All four sera stained mature neutrophils of the normal bone marrow. Some bone marrow neutrophil precursors (metamyelocytes and myelocytes) were also positive. All other tissues, including HL60, K562, and U937 cells, were negative. Normal sera were negative on all tissues.

Antigen specific for primary sclerosing cholangitis seems to be unique to neutrophil polymorphs and is present only after myeloblast differentiation of the myeloid cell line. The antigen may be within the secondary granule of the neutrophil polymorph.