Clinical correlates of CENP-A and CENP-B antibodies in a large cohort of patients with systemic sclerosis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To study the clinical phenotypes of centromeric proteins (CENP)-A- and CENP-B-positive patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and to compare them to anticentromere antibody (ACA)-positive and negative SSc patients.

METHODS:

Sera samples were collected from 802 patients with SSc enrolled in a multicenter cohort study. Antibodies to CENP-A and B were detected by ELISA, and ACA by indirect immunofluorescence. Associations with clinical and other serological manifestations of SSc were investigated.

RESULTS:

CENP-A antibodies were detected in 276 (34%), CENP-B in 286 (36%), and ACA in 279 (35%) patients. Patients having ACA, CENP-A, and/or CENP-B resembled each other and differed from the remainder of the cohort in the following respects: older chronologically and at disease onset; more commonly women; more likely to have limited disease and lower skin scores; less likely to have finger ulcers, digital tuft resorption, or finger contractures; more likely to have pulmonary hypertension; less likely to have interstitial lung disease, scleroderma renal crisis, inflammatory arthritis, and inflammatory myositis; and having lower overall disease severity. CENP-A and/or B status was predictive of the extent of skin involvement over time. Patients with limited disease who were CENP-A-negative at baseline were more likely to progress to diffuse disease compared to CENP-A-positive patients (OR 2.55, 95% CI 1.37, 4.85, p = 0.004).

CONCLUSION:

Clinical immunology laboratories are increasingly using high-throughput ELISA tests for CENP antibodies, with or without ACA detected by indirect immunofluorescence. The phenotype of CENP-A and/or B-positive patients is generally similar to that associated with ACA.

• Authors: Marie Hudson, Michael Mahler, Janet Pope, Daniel You, Solene Tatibouet, Russell Steele, Murray Baron, Investigators of the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group, Marvin Fritzler
• Journal: The Journal of rheumatology (J Rheumatol) Vol. 39 Issue 4 Pg. 787-94 (Apr 2012) ISSN: 0315-162X [Print] Canada
• PMID: 22467948 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Antinuclear
• Autoantibodies
• Autoantigens
• CENPA protein, human
• CENPB protein, human
• Centromere Protein A
• Centromere Protein B
• Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
• anticentromere antibody

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Antibodies, Antinuclear (biosynthesis, blood)
• Autoantibodies (biosynthesis, blood)
• Autoantigens (immunology)
• Centromere Protein A
• Centromere Protein B (immunology)
• Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone (immunology)
• Cohort Studies
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Predictive Value of Tests
• Scleroderma, Systemic (blood, epidemiology, immunology)
• Skin Diseases (epidemiology, immunology, pathology)