Autoantibody

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Autoantibody

An autoantibody is an antibody

Antibody

Antibodies are gamma globulin proteins that are found in blood or other bodily fluids of vertebrates, and are used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects, such as bacterium and viruses....
(a type of protein

Protein

Proteins are organic compounds made of amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of adjacent amino acid Residue ....
) manufactured by the immune system

Immune system

An immune system is a collection of biological processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumour cells....
that is directed against one or more of the individual's own proteins.It is derived from the Greek "auto" which means "self", "anti" which means "against" and "body".

Many autoimmune disease

Autoimmune disease

Autoimmune diseases arise from an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the body attacks its own cells....
s in humans, most notably lupus erythematosus

Lupus erythematosus

Lupus erythematosus is a connective tissue disease....
, are caused by such autoantibodies.

Production
Antibodies are normally produced in response to a foreign protein or substance within the body, typically a pathogen

Pathogen

A pathogen , infectious agent, or germ, is a biological agent that causes disease or illness to its Host .There are several substrates and pathways whereby pathogens can invade a host; the principal pathways have different episodic time frames, but soil contamination has the longest or most persistent potential for harboring...
(infectious

Infection

An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. In an infection, the infecting organism seeks to utilize the host resources to multiply ....
organism

Organism

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Encyclopedia

An autoantibody is an antibody

Antibody

Protein

Immune system

Autoimmune disease

Lupus erythematosus

Lupus erythematosus is a connective tissue disease....
, are caused by such autoantibodies.

Production

Antibodies are normally produced in response to a foreign protein or substance within the body, typically a pathogen

Pathogen

Infection

An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species. In an infection, the infecting organism seeks to utilize the host resources to multiply ....
organism

Organism

In biology, an organism is any life thing . In at least some form, all organisms are capable of response to stimulus , reproduction, growth and developmental biology, and maintenance of homeostasis as a stable whole....
). Normally, the immune system is able to recognize and ignore the body's own cells and to not overreact to non-threatening substances in the environment, such as foods.

Sometimes, however, the immune system ceases to recognize one or more of the body's normal constituents as "self," leading to production of autoantibodies. These autoantibodies attack the body's own cells, tissues, and/or organs, causing inflammation and damage.

Cause

The causes of autoantibody production are varied and not well understood. It is thought that some autoantibody production is due to a genetic predisposition combined with an environmental trigger (such as a viral illness or a prolonged exposure to certain toxic chemicals). There is generally not a direct genetic link however. While families may be susceptible to autoimmune conditions, individual family members may have different autoimmune disorders, or may never develop an autoimmune condition. Researchers believe that there may also be a hormonal component as many of the autoimmune conditions are much more prevalent in women of childbearing age.

Types

Many autoantibodies are recognized. These are some medically

Medicine

Medicine is the art and science of healing. It encompasses a range of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
important autoantibodies: -

Anti-actin antibodies
Anti-actin antibodies

Anti-actin antibodies are found at increased frequency in certain autoimmune diseases and may be of some diagnostic value.In coeliac disease anti-actin antibodies correlated with the level of intestinal damage....
Anti-ganglioside antibodies
Anti-ganglioside antibodies

Anti-ganglioside antibodies that react to self-gangliosides are found in autoimmune neuropathies. These antibodies were first found to react with cerebellar cells....

Anti-GD3 (Guillain-Barré syndrome
Guillain-Barré syndrome

Guillain-Barr? syndrome is an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy , an Autoimmune Disease disease affecting the peripheral nervous system, usually triggered by an acute infectious process....
)
Anti-GM1 (travelers diarrhea
Diarrhea

In medicine, diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea , is characterized by frequent loose or liquid bowel movements. The spelling of "diarrhea" is an appropriation of the Greek "diarrhoia" meaning "a flowing through." ....
)
Anti-GQ1b (Miller-Fisher syndrome, See Guillain-Barré syndrome
Guillain-Barré syndrome

Guillain-Barr? syndrome is an acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy , an Autoimmune Disease disease affecting the peripheral nervous system, usually triggered by an acute infectious process....
)

Anti-gastric parietal cell antibody
Anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody (Anti-GBM antibody)
Anti-Hu antibody
Anti-Jo 1 antibody
Anti-liver/kidney microsomal 1 antibody (anti-LKM 1 antibodies)
Anti-Ku antibody
Anti-mitochondrial antibody
Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody
Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies are a group of mainly IgG antibodies against antigens in the cytoplasm of neutrophil granulocytes and monocytes....
(ANCA) (Ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease . Ulcerative colitis is a form of colitis, a disease of the intestine, specifically the large intestine or colon , that includes characteristic Peptic ulcer, or open sores, in the colon....
)
Antinuclear antibody (ANA)

Anti-p62 antibodies
Anti-p62 antibodies

Anti-nucleoporin 62 antibodies are found in a primary biliary cirrhosis. p62 is also more frequent in Stage IV primary biliary cirrhosis and is prognostic for severe disease. The autoantigen is the nucleoporin 62kDA protein....
in primary biliary cirrhosis
Primary biliary cirrhosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis is an autoimmune disease of the liver marked by the slow progressive destruction of the small bile ducts within the liver....
Anti-sp100 antibodies
Anti-sp100 antibodies

Anti-sp100 antibodies are found in association with primary biliary cirrhosis. The autoimmune target of anti-sp100 is the sp100 nuclear antigen which was identified by its association with primary biliary cirrhosis....
in primary biliary cirrhosis
Primary biliary cirrhosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis is an autoimmune disease of the liver marked by the slow progressive destruction of the small bile ducts within the liver....
Anti-glycoprotein210 antibodies in primary biliary cirrhosis
Primary biliary cirrhosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis is an autoimmune disease of the liver marked by the slow progressive destruction of the small bile ducts within the liver....
Anti-ds DNA antibody
Anti-extractable nuclear antigen antibodies (Anti-ENA antibodies)

Anti-Ro antibody
Anti-La antibody

Anti-PM/Scl (anti-exosome
Exosome complex

The exosome complex is a multi-protein Protein complex, capable of degrading various types of RNAs. Exosome complexes can be found in both eukaryotic cells and archaea, while in bacteria a simpler complex called the degradosome carries out similar functions....
) antibody
Anti-Scl 70 antibody (in sclerosis and scleroderma)

Anti-topoisomerase antibodies
Anti-topoisomerase antibodies

Anti-topoisomerase antibodies are autoantibodies directed against topoisomerase and found in several diseases, most importantly scleroderma. Diseases with ATA are autoimmune disease because they react with self-proteins....
Anti-centromere antibodies
Anti-centromere antibodies

Anti-centromere antibodies occur in CREST syndrome and occasionally in systemic scleroderma. They are very rare in other rheumatic conditions and in healthy persons....

Anti-smooth muscle antibody
Anti-transglutaminase antibodies
Anti-transglutaminase antibodies

Anti-transglutaminase antibodies are antibodies found more frequently in certain autoimmune diseases. High levels of ATA are found in almost all instances of coeliac disease....

Anti-tTG coeliac disease
Coeliac disease

C?liac disease , also spelled celiac disease, is an Autoimmunity disorder of the small intestine that occurs in Genetic predisposition people of all ages from middle infancy on up....
Anti-eTG dermatitis herpetiformis
Dermatitis herpetiformis

Dermatitis herpetiformis, or DH, is a skin disorder often associated with celiac disease. It is not caused by herpesvirus, but rather its name is derived from its having an appearance similar to the lesions found in herpes infections....

Rheumatoid factor
Rheumatoid factor

Rheumatoid factor is an autoantibody most relevant in rheumatoid arthritis. It is an antibody against the Fc portion of IgG, which is itself an antibody....
(RF)
Lupus anticoagulant
Lupus anticoagulant

Lupus anticoagulant is a medical phenomenon where autoantibody bind to phospholipids and proteins associated with the cell membrane. Since interactions between the cell membrane and clotting factors are necessary for proper functioning of the coagulation cascade, the lupus anticoagulant can interfere with blood clotting as well as in-vitro t...

Anti-thrombin antibodies
Anti-thrombin antibodies

Anti-thrombin antibodies are autoantibodies directed against thrombin that may constitute a fraction of lupus anticoagulant and are seen an increased levels in lupus erythematosus....

The type of autoimmune disorder or disease that occurs and the amount of destruction done to the body depends on which systems or organs are targeted by the autoantibodies, and how strongly. Disorders caused by organ specific autoantibodies, those that primarily target a single organ, such as the thyroid in Graves' disease and Hashimoto's thyroiditis, are often the easiest to diagnose as they frequently present with organ related symptoms.

Diseases

Disorders due to systemic autoantibodies can be much more elusive. Although the associated autoimmune disorders are rare, the signs and symptoms they cause are relatively common. Symptoms may include: arthritis-type joint pain, fatigue, fever, rashes, cold or allergy-type symptoms, weight loss, and muscular weakness. Associated conditions include vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels) and anemia. Even if they are due to a particular systemic autoimmune condition, the symptoms will vary from person to person, vary over time, vary with organ involvement, and they may taper off or flare unexpectedly. Add to this the fact that a person may have more than one autoantibody, have more than one autoimmune disorder, and/or have an autoimmune disorder without a detectable level of an autoantibody, complicating making a diagnosis.

The diagnosis of disorders associated with systemic autoantibodies starts with a complete medical history and a thorough physical exam. Based on your signs and symptoms, the doctor may request one or more diagnostic studies that will help to identify a specific disease. These studies include:

blood tests to detect inflammation, autoantibodies, and organ involvement
x-rays and other imaging scans to detect changes in bones, joints, and organs
biopsies to look for pathologic changes in tissue specimens

As a rule, information is required from multiple sources (rather than a single laboratory test) to accurately diagnose disorders associated with systemic autoantibodies.

Why are they done?

Autoantibody tests may be ordered as part of an investigation of chronic progressive arthritis type symptoms and/or unexplained fevers, fatigue, muscle weakness and rashes. The Antinuclear antibody (ANA) test is often ordered first. ANA is a marker of the autoimmune process – it is positive with a variety of different autoimmune diseases but not specific. Consequently, if an ANA test is positive, it is often followed up with other tests associated with arthritis

Arthritis

Arthritis is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people older than fifty-five years....
and inflammation

Inflammation

Inflammation is the complex biological response of Blood vessel tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. It is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli as well as initiate the healing process for the tissue....
, such as a rheumatoid factor

Rheumatoid factor

Rheumatoid factor is an autoantibody most relevant in rheumatoid arthritis. It is an antibody against the Fc portion of IgG, which is itself an antibody....
(RF), an erythrocyte sedimentation rate

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate , also called a sedimentation rate or Biernacki Reaction, is the rate at which red blood cells precipitate in a period of 1 hour....
(ESR), a C-Reactive Protein

C-reactive protein

C-reactive protein is a protein found in the blood in response to inflammation .CRP is produced by the liver and by fat cells . It is a member of the pentraxin family of proteins....
(CRP), and/or complement levels.

A single autoantibody test is not diagnostic, but may give clues as to whether a particular disorder is likely or unlikely to be present. Each autoantibody result should be considered individually and as part of the group. Some disorders, such as SLE may be more likely if several autoantibodies are present, while others, such as MCTD (mixed connective tissue disease

Mixed connective tissue disease

In medicine, mixed connective tissue disease, commonly abbreviated as MCTD, is an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system attacks itself....
) may be more likely if a single autoantibody (RNP - ribonucleic protein) is the only one present. Those who have more than one autoimmune disorder may have several detectable autoantibodies.

Whether a particular autoantibody will be present is both very individual and a matter of statistics. Each will be present in a certain percentage of people who have a particular autoimmune disorder. For instance, up to 80% of those with SLE will have a positive double strand anti-DNA (anti-dsDNA) autoantibody test, but only about 25-30% will have a positive RNP. Some individuals who do have an autoimmune disorder will have negative autoantibody test results, but at a later date – as the disorder progresses - the autoantibodies may develop.

Systemic autoantibody tests are used to:

Help diagnose systemic autoimmune disorders.
Help determine the degree of organ or system involvement and damage (Along with other tests such as a complete blood count
Complete blood count

A complete blood count , also known as full blood count or full blood exam or blood panel, is a test requested by a physician or other medical professional that gives information about the cells in a patient's blood....
or comprehensive Metabolic Panel
Comprehensive metabolic panel

File:CMP report.JPGThe comprehensive metabolism panel, or chemical screen, is a standard suite of 14 blood tests which serves as an initial broad Screening tool for physicians....
)
Monitor the course of the disorder and the effectiveness of treatments. There is no prevention or cure for autoimmune disorders at this time. Treatment is used to alleviate symptoms and to help maintain body function.
Monitor remissions, flares, and relapses

List of some autoantibodies and commonly associated diseases

vs.	Condition >- \| vs. double-stranded-DNA DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetics instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses....	Systemic lupus erythematosus Systemic lupus erythematosus Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic Autoimmunity connective tissue disease that can affect any part of the body. As occurs in other autoimmune diseases, the immune system attacks the body?s cells and tissue, resulting in inflammation and tissue damage.... \|- \| vs. Exosome complex Exosome complex The exosome complex is a multi-protein Protein complex, capable of degrading various types of RNAs. Exosome complexes can be found in both eukaryotic cells and archaea, while in bacteria a simpler complex called the degradosome carries out similar functions....	Scleromyositis Scleromyositis Scleromyositis or the PM/Scl overlap syndrome is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body. Patients with scleromyositis have symptoms of both systemic scleroderma and either polymyositis or dermatomyositis, and is therefore considered an overlap syndrome.... \|- \| vs. Ro/SS-A or La/SS-B	Systemic lupus erythematosus and neonatal heart block, primary Sjogren's syndrome \|- \| vs. Smith	- \| vs. phospholipid Phospholipid File:Phospholipid.svgFile:phospholipid_structure.pngFile:Phosphatidyl-Choline.svgPhospholipids are a class of lipids and are a major component of all cell membranes....	Antiphospholipid syndrome Antiphospholipid syndrome Antiphospholipid syndrome or antiphospholipid antibody syndrome is a disorder of coagulation, which causes blood clots in both artery and veins, as well as pregnancy-related complications such as miscarriage, Premature birth, or severe preeclampsia.... \|- \| vs. neutrophil cytoplasmic (c-ANCA)	Wegener's granulomatosis Wegener's granulomatosis Wegener's granulomatosis is a form of vasculitis that affects the lungs, kidneys and other organs. Due to its end-organ damage, it can be a serious disease that requires long-term immune suppression.... \|- \| vs. neutrophil perinuclear (p-ANCA)	Microscopic polyangiitis Microscopic polyangiitis Microscopic polyangiitis is an ill-defined autoimmune disease characterized by pauci-immune, necrotizing, small-vessel vasculitis without clinical or pathological evidence of necrotizing granulomatous inflammation.... , Churg-Strauss syndrome Churg-Strauss syndrome Churg-Strauss syndrome is a medium and small vessel autoimmune disease vasculitis, leading to necrosis. It involves mainly the blood vessels of the lungs , gastrointestinal system, and peripheral nerves, but also affects the heart, skin and kidneys.... , Systemic vasculitides (non-specific) \|- \| vs. IgG (Rheumatoid factor Rheumatoid factor Rheumatoid factor is an autoantibody most relevant in rheumatoid arthritis. It is an antibody against the Fc portion of IgG, which is itself an antibody.... )	Rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic disease inflammation that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks the joints producing a inflammatory synovitis that often progresses to destruction of the articular cartilage and ankylosis of the joints.... \|- \| vs. neutrophil perinuclear (pANCA)	Polyarteritis nodosa Polyarteritis nodosa Polyarteritis nodosa is a vasculitis of medium-sized arteries, which become swollen and damaged from attack by rogue immune cells. Polyarteritis nodosa is also called Adolph Kussmaul disease or Kussmaul-Rudolf Robert Meier disease.... \|- \| vs. centromere Centromere A centromere is a region of DNA typically found near the middle of a chromosome where two sister chromatids come in contact. It is involved in cell division as the point of mitotic spindle....	CREST syndrome CREST syndrome The limited form of scleroderma is often referred to as CREST syndrome. "CREST" is an acronym for the five main features:* Calcinosis* Raynaud's phenomenon... \|- \| vs. topoisomerase Anti-topoisomerase antibodies Anti-topoisomerase antibodies are autoantibodies directed against topoisomerase and found in several diseases, most importantly scleroderma. Diseases with ATA are autoimmune disease because they react with self-proteins....	Systemic sclerosis \|- \| vs. smooth muscle Smooth muscle Smooth muscle is a type of non-striated muscle, found within the tunica media layer of large and small arteries and veins, the urinary bladder, uterus, male and female reproductive tracts, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, the ciliary muscle, and iris of the eye....	chronic autoimmune hepatitis Hepatitis Hepatitis implies injury to the liver characterized by the presence of inflammatory cell s in the Tissue of the organ. The name is from ancient Greek hepar , the root being hepat- , meaning liver, and suffix -itis, meaning "inflammation" .... \|- \| vs. mitochondria	primary biliary cirrhosis Primary biliary cirrhosis Primary biliary cirrhosis is an autoimmune disease of the liver marked by the slow progressive destruction of the small bile ducts within the liver.... \|- \| vs. nicotinic acetylcholine receptor Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, or nAChRs, are cholinergic receptors that form ligand-gated ion channels in the plasma membranes of certain neurons....	myasthenia gravis Myasthenia gravis Myasthenia gravis is a neuromuscular disease leading to fluctuating muscle weakness and fatigue . It is an autoimmunity, in which weakness is caused by circulating antibody that block acetylcholine receptors at the post-synaptic neuromuscular junction, inhibiting the stimulative effect of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.... \|- \| vs. voltage-gated calcium channel	Lambert-Eaton syndrome \|- \| vs. thyroid peroxidase Thyroid peroxidase Thyroid peroxidase or thyroperoxidase is an enzyme mainly expressed in the thyroid that liberates iodine for addition onto tyrosine residues on thyroglobulin for the production of thyroxine or triiodothyronine .... (microsomal)	Hashimoto's thyroiditis Hashimoto's thyroiditis Hashimoto's thyroiditis or chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease where the body's own T-cells attack the cell s of the thyroid.... \|- \| vs. TSH receptor	Graves' disease \|- \| vs. Hu Hu HU, Hu or hu may refer to:* Hu , a proposed third person singular "non gender-specific pronoun", short for "that human". Its variants include "hus", "hux", "hume", and "huself"....	Paraneoplastic cerebellar syndrome \|- \| vs. voltage-gated potassium channel Voltage-gated potassium channel Voltage-gated potassium channels are potassium channel and Voltage-gated ion channel in the cell's membrane potential. They play a crucial role during action potentials in returning the depolarized cell to a resting state.... (VGKC)	Limbic encephalitis Limbic encephalitis Limbic encephalitis is a form of encephalitis.In a small number of cases, the pathogens responsible for encephalitis attack primarily the limbic system , often causing memory deficits similar to those observed in Alzheimer's disease or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease ... \|- \| vs. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA)	Encephalitis Encephalitis Not to be confused with syphilis, although that can cause encephalitis as well.Encephalitis is an Acute inflammation of the brain.Encephalitis with meningitis is known as meningoencephalitis....

Note: the sensitivity and specificity of various autoantibodies for a particular disease is different for different diseases.

Autoantibody

Production

Cause

Types

Diseases

Why are they done?

List of some autoantibodies and commonly associated diseases

See also

External links