The detection of anti-Ro/SS-A and anti-La/SS-B antibodies: A comparison of counterimmunoelectrophoresis with immunoblot, ELISA, and RNA-precipitation assays

doi:10.1016/0022-1759(90)90362-Y

Journal of Immunological Methods

Volume 133, Issue 2, 19 October 1990, Pages 215-226

https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1759(90)90362-Y Get rights and content

Abstract

The presence in serum of anti-Ro/SS-A and/or anti-La/SS-B autoantibodies is a characteristic of autoimmune diseases such as Sjögren's syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus. To evaluate different assays currently available for the detection of these antibodies 50 sera were tested using the four different assay methods: counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE), RNA precipitation assay, immunoblotting technique and ELISA. The RNA-precipitation assay showed the highest sensitivity and specificity. The CIE for the detection of anti-Ro/SS-A antibodies gave comparable results whereas the Ro/SS-A ELISA and Ro/SS-A or HeLa immunoblot showed lower sensitivities (96% and 80% respectively). Sensitivity was even lower (66%) when only reactivity towards the 60 kDa Ro/SS-A protein was considered. The ELISA for the detection of anti-La/SS-B antibodies showed a sensitivity of 98%, the immunoblotting technique of 86% and the CIE only 67%. The high sensitivity of the La/SS-B ELISA went together with a low specificity of 14%.

We conclude from these data that for the detection of anti-Ro/SS-A and anti-La/SS-B antibodies the RNA precipitation assay shows the highest sensitivity and highest specificity. For routine screening purposes the CIE is the most convenient and reliable assay to detect anti-Ro/SS-A antibodies. For the detection of anti-La/SS-B antibodies the immunoblot corresponds most closely to the RNA precipitation assay.

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Research reportThe detection of anti-Ro/SS-A and anti-La/SS-B antibodies: A comparison of counterimmunoelectrophoresis with immunoblot, ELISA, and RNA-precipitation assays

Abstract

Anal. Biochem.

Adv. Immunol.

J. Immunol. Methods

J. Immunol. Methods

J. Immunol. Methods

A 52-kD protein is a novel component of the SS-A/Ro antigenic particle

J. Exp. Med.

Analysis of autoantibodies to recombinant La (SS-B) peptides in systemic lupus erythematosus and primary Sjogren's syndrome

J. Clin. Invest.

The Y5 Ro particle: identification of unique biochemical and immunological qualities

Arthritis Rheum.

Biochemical and immunological heterogeneity of the Ro ribonucleoprotein particles. Analysis with sera specific for the RohY5 particle

J. Clin. Invest.

Human autoantibody-reactive epitopes of SS-B/La are highly conserved in comparison with epitopes recognized by murine monoclonal antibodies

J. Exp. Med.

Epitopes, structural domains and asymmetry of amino acid residues in SS-B/La nuclear protein

J. Immunol.

Characterization of a soluble cytoplasmic antigen reactive with sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

J. Immunol.

Linked sets of antinuclear antibodies: what do they mean?

J. Rheumatol.

Molecular analysis of the 60-kDa human Ro ribonucleoprotein

Detection of antibodies to small nuclear ribonucleoproteins and small cytoplasmic ribonucleoproteins using unlabeled cell extracts

Arthritis Rheum.

Function of the mammalian La protein: Evidence for its action in transcription termination by RNA polymerase III

EMBO J.

SS-B/La antigen purification, and ELISA detection of anti-SS-B/La antibodies in sera from patients with inflammatory connective tissue diseases

Allergy

Anti-La/SSB antibody is present in some normal sera and is coincident with anti-Ro/SSA precipitins in systemic lupus erythematosus

J. Rheumatol.

Research report
The detection of anti-Ro/SS-A and anti-La/SS-B antibodies: A comparison of counterimmunoelectrophoresis with immunoblot, ELISA, and RNA-precipitation assays

Biochemical and immunological heterogeneity of the Ro ribonucleoprotein particles. Analysis with sera specific for the Ro^hY5 particle