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Human fibroblast-derived molecules as antigens in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for coeliac disease-specific IgA
A Marttinen1, S Sulkanen, M Mäki
1Medical School, University of Tampere, Finland.
We have recently shown that cultured human fibroblasts synthesize and secrete protein molecules that bind to IgA-class anti-reticulin and anti-endomysium antibodies but not to anti-gliadin antibodies in coeliac disease patient sera. In the present report, we describe a reproducible method for purification of these antigen molecules from fibroblast culture medium. Using reversed-phase chromatography as the final purification step, four different protein molecules reacting with coeliac disease patient sera IgA were obtained. In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for coeliac disease-specific IgA, a mixture of 0.5 microgram of the four reversed-phase-separated molecules was used as antigen. The optical density values in ELISA of the sera from newly diagnosed coeliac disease patients (n = 34) were 0.740-3.400 (mean 1.830) and in control patients (n = 66) 0.090-0.850 (mean 0.320). Using an arbitrary cut-off level of 0.700, the sensitivity of the present autoantibody test was 100%, specificity 91% and positive predictive value 85%. Our identified autoantigens may generate the production of the classical tissue antibodies, known as anti-reticulin and anti-endomysium antibodies, and may be used as antigen in an immunoassay for the antibodies.
We have recently shown that cultured human fibroblasts synthesize and secrete protein molecules that bind to IgA-class anti-reticulin and anti-endomysium antibodies but not to anti-gliadin antibodies in coeliac disease patient sera. In the present report, we describe a reproducible method for purification of these antigen molecules from fibroblast culture medium. Using reversed-phase chromatography as the final purification step, four different protein molecules reacting with coeliac disease patient sera IgA were obtained. In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for coeliac disease-specific IgA, a mixture of 0.5 microgram of the four reversed-phase-separated molecules was used as antigen. The optical density values in ELISA of the sera from newly diagnosed coeliac disease patients (n = 34) were 0.740-3.400 (mean 1.830) and in control patients (n = 66) 0.090-0.850 (mean 0.320). Using an arbitrary cut-off level of 0.700, the sensitivity of the present autoantibody test was 100%, specificity 91% and positive predictive value 85%. Our identified autoantigens may generate the production of the classical tissue antibodies, known as anti-reticulin and anti-endomysium antibodies, and may be used as antigen in an immunoassay for the antibodies.