Elsevier

Autoimmunity Reviews

Volume 15, Issue 2, February 2016, Pages 198-201
Autoimmunity Reviews

Review
Towards a better understanding of the clinical association of anti-DFS70 autoantibodies

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autrev.2015.11.006Get rights and content

Abstract

Anti-DFS70 antibodies and their clinical associations remain an immunological paradox. Unlike other antinuclear antibodies (ANA), especially when present at high titres, anti-DFS70 antibodies are not prevalent in ANA associated rheumatic diseases. Despite significant interest and progress in understanding the clinical association of anti-DFS70 antibodies, no specific clinical associations have been confirmed. In reality, several studies reporting clinical association of these antibodies (i.e. atopic dermatitis, thrombosis, autoimmune thyroiditis) have added confusion instead of bringing significant insight. In addition, several groups have consistently reported on the occurrence of anti-DFS70 antibodies in a relevant fraction of apparently healthy individuals. This review aims to analyse the current knowledge and to provide future guidance to analyse potential clinical associations of anti-DFS70 antibodies by summarizing and interpreting recent findings.

Section snippets

Take-home messages

  • potential clinical associations of anti-DFS70 antibodies remains speculative and future, well defined, studies are required to provide more insights.

  • HEp-2 cells can be used to screen for anti-DFS70 antibodies, but their presence should be confirmed using a specific test for anti-DFS70 antibodies (i.e. ELISA, CIA or by immunoadsorption).

Competing interests

M. Mahler is employed at Inova Diagnostics selling autoantibody assays. The other authors received consultant fees from Inova Diagnostics in the past.

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