AN ENZYME-LINKED-IMMUNOSORBENT-ASSAY FOR DETECTION OF ANTI-AORTA ANTIBODIES IN TAKAYASU ARTERITIS PATIENTS

Thirty cases of clinically and angiographically proven non-specific ao rtoarteritis with appropriate controls were studied. Antiaorta antibod y titres were estimated using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA ) method. The controls included patients of vascular diseases other th an non-specific aortoarteritis, autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthri tis and systemic lupus erythematosis), and normal healthy individuals. An absorbance value at 492 nm at a dilution of 1:500 of patients' ser a was expressed as the antiaorta antibody titre. There was a significa nt difference (P < 0.005) between the mean value of the antibody titre of non-specific aortoarteritis patients (0.471 +/- 0.073) and patient s of other vascular diseases (0.209 +/- 0.056), autoimmune disease pat ients (0. 143 +/- 0.024) and controls (0.108 +/- 0.012). Collagenase t reatment of the aorta resulted in the fall of the antibody titre of ao rtitis patients (0.162 +/- 0.036) suggesting that the collagen might b e one of the components responsible for autoantigenecity of the aorta resulting in aortitis. The precise nature of the antigen needs to be i dentified.