AUTOANTIBODIES IN INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS

We have identified and partially characterized autoantibodies from the sera of patients with interstitial cystitis. Our characterization inc luded initial screening by antinuclear antibody testing on human HEp-2 cell substrate and mouse kidney/stomach tissue substrate, titering an d subtyping of positive sera, and Western blotting to identify target autoantigens. Of 96 interstitial cystitis patients 35 (36%) were posit ive for antinuclear antibodies at titers of 1/40 or greater. Among the antinuclear antibody patterns observed 24 were dense fine nuclear spe ckles, 7 were nucleolar, 3 were mitochondrial and 1 was coarse nuclear speckles. All but 4 of the antinuclear antibody positive sera were ex clusively of the IgG class. As determined by unique antinuclear antibo dy staining patterns and by specificities on Western blots, interstiti al cystitis autoantibodies appear to recognize novel autoantigens not previously described in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases, su ch as lupus, scleroderma and Sjogren's syndrome.