AUTOANTIBODIES IN CONVENTIONAL TOXICITY TESTING

A number of drugs and chemicals can induce autoimmune disorders. The u se of autoantibody assays in toxicology has been evaluated as a tool t o predict and explain autoimmune reactions. Autoantibodies are divided between organ-specific and ubiquitous autoantibodies and several mech anisms have been proposed for their pathogenesis. Assay methods depend on the autoantibody investigated and the specificity of the assay req uired. There is only a partial correlation between the presence of aut oantibodies in humans or animals and the risk of developing an autoimm une disease. Responses in animals vary according to genetic influence and extrapolation to humans is difficult. Therefore, autoantibody assa ys were not considered absolutely predictive of the potential of a new drug to trigger autoimmune diseases. However assays such as the Coomb s test for hemolytic anemia or anti-thyroid antibody assay for thyroid itis, can be useful for explaining the possible mechanisms of autoimmu ne reactions which occur during toxicology studies. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.