IADR Abstract Archives
Detection of Salivary Anti-SSA and Anti-SSB Antibodies Utilizing the EFIRM-Platform
Objectives: Detection of serum anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB antibodies is central in the diagnostic work-up for primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS). There is an emerging need for noninvasive procedures that easily can provide information on the presence of autoantibodies. Here we investigated if the electric field-induced release and measurement (EFIRM) technology is useful for detection of anti-Ro/SSA and –La/SSB in whole saliva from pSS patients and discrimination of pSS from non-pSS, and if levels of anti-Ro/SSA and –La/SSB antibodies in serum and saliva correlate.
Methods: Whole saliva samples from 33 pSS patients and 36 patients with sicca, but not fulfilling the classification criteria for pSS (non-pSS) were analyzed ‘blinded’ using the EFIRM platform to develop an assay for detection of salivary anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB antibodies. Presence of serum anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB antibodies were determined by ELISA. Statistical analyses included Spearman’s rank correlation and bootstrapping.
Results: Serum anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB antibodies were positive in 84.8% and 63.6% of the pSS patients and 2.8% and 2.8% of the non-pSS patients, respectively. Salivary anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB antibodies were detected by means of the EFIRM-technology in patients with positive serum antibodies. Significant although weak correlation was found between the levels of anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB in serum and saliva (r=0.28, 95% CI: 0.04-0.50 and r=0.43, 95% CI: 0.19-0.63, respectively). A subgroup of sicca patients had high levels of salivary anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB despite being serum negative. Results of inhibitory experiments on saliva samples with high anti-SSA levels revealed genuine presence of anti-Ro/SSA antibodies in saliva.
Conclusions: The findings demonstrate for the first time that an assay based on the EFIRM-technology is useful for noninvasive detection of anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB antibodies in saliva, enabling utilization of saliva as a potential tool in the diagnostic work-up of pSS. Interestingly, anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB-antibodies also appear to be present in saliva prior to serum.
Methods: Whole saliva samples from 33 pSS patients and 36 patients with sicca, but not fulfilling the classification criteria for pSS (non-pSS) were analyzed ‘blinded’ using the EFIRM platform to develop an assay for detection of salivary anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB antibodies. Presence of serum anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB antibodies were determined by ELISA. Statistical analyses included Spearman’s rank correlation and bootstrapping.
Results: Serum anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB antibodies were positive in 84.8% and 63.6% of the pSS patients and 2.8% and 2.8% of the non-pSS patients, respectively. Salivary anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB antibodies were detected by means of the EFIRM-technology in patients with positive serum antibodies. Significant although weak correlation was found between the levels of anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB in serum and saliva (r=0.28, 95% CI: 0.04-0.50 and r=0.43, 95% CI: 0.19-0.63, respectively). A subgroup of sicca patients had high levels of salivary anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB despite being serum negative. Results of inhibitory experiments on saliva samples with high anti-SSA levels revealed genuine presence of anti-Ro/SSA antibodies in saliva.
Conclusions: The findings demonstrate for the first time that an assay based on the EFIRM-technology is useful for noninvasive detection of anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB antibodies in saliva, enabling utilization of saliva as a potential tool in the diagnostic work-up of pSS. Interestingly, anti-Ro/SSA and -La/SSB-antibodies also appear to be present in saliva prior to serum.