[Clinical immunology in rheumatology]

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology and Immunology
• Autoimmunity Research
• Diagnostic Assay Development

Context:

• Established in the USSR Ministry of Health, the Institute of Rheumatology initiated immunological studies in 1958.
• Focus on systemic diseases of connective tissue and autoimmunity.
• Collaboration with international partners (Czechoslovakia, USA) for standardization.

Purpose:

• To develop and refine immunodiagnostic assays for rheumatic diseases.
• To investigate the pathogenesis and immunodiagnosis of rheumatism and connective tissue diseases.
• To establish standardized definitions and guidelines for immunodiagnosis.

Summary:

• Development of radioisotopic and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for antinuclear antibodies (ANA).
• Standardization of ANA definitions and creation of USSR Ministry of Health guidelines for rheumatic disease immunodiagnosis.
• Utilization of various techniques including immunofluorescence, ELISA, gel precipitation, and electrophoresis for antibody detection (anticardiolipin, mitochondrial, neutrophilic).
• Identification and characterization of clinical and immunological subtypes of diffuse connective tissue diseases, including mixed connective tissue disease and poststreptococcal arthritis.
• Implementation of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for DNA diagnosis.

Impact:

• Advanced the immunodiagnosis of rheumatic and autoimmune diseases.
• Contributed to the standardization of diagnostic criteria for antinuclear antibodies.
• Enabled the identification of specific immunological subtypes of connective tissue diseases.
• Introduced molecular diagnostic capabilities (PCR) into rheumatological practice.