High mobility group (HMG) non-histone chromosomal proteins HMG1 and HMG2 are significant target antigens of perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in autoimmune hepatitis
J. Sobajima et al., High mobility group (HMG) non-histone chromosomal proteins HMG1 and HMG2 are significant target antigens of perinuclear anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in autoimmune hepatitis, GUT, 44(6), 1999, pp. 867-873
Background-High mobility group (HMG) non-histone chromosomal proteins HMG1
and HMG2 have been identified as novel antigens of perinuclear antineutroph
il cytoplasmic antibodies (p-ANCAs), and the existence of anti-HMG1 and ant
i-HMG2 antibodies in a population of patients with ulcerative colitis has b
een reported.
Aims-To investigate whether HMG1 and HMG2 are target antigens for p-ANCAs i
n autoimmune hepatitis (AIH).
Patients-Serum samples from 28 patients with AIH, 44 patients with primary
biliary cirrhosis (PBC), 27 patients with chronic hepatitis C, and 23 patie
nts with chronic hepatitis B were tested.
Methods-ANCAs were detected by routine indirect immunofluorescence (IIF). A
nti-HMG1 and anti-HMG2 antibodies were assayed by enzyme linked immunosorbe
nt assay.
Results-p-ANCAs were detected in 89% (25/28) of patients with AIH, 36% (16/
44) of patients with PBC, 11% (3/27) of patients with chronic hepatitis C,
and 13% (3/23) of patients with chronic hepatitis B. Anti-HMG1 and/or anti-
HMG2 antibodies were detected in 89% (25/28) of patients with AIH, 70% (31/
44) with PBC, 26% (7/27) with chronic hepatitis C, and 9% (2/23) with chron
ic hepatitis B. In AIH, anti-HMG1 and/or anti-HMG2 antibodies were detected
in 96% (24/25) of p-ANCA positive patients. The p-ANCA staining pattern de
tected by IIF using sera from patients with AIH disappeared or decreased in
titre after preincubation with a mixture of HMG1/HMG2. The presence and ti
tres of those antibodies in AIH correlated significantly with those of p-AN
CA, but not with those of antinuclear antibody or anti-smooth muscle antibo
dy.
Conclusions-HMG1 and HMG2 are significant target antigens of p-ANCA in AIH.