Saliva soluble HLA as a potential marker of response to interferon-beta 1a in multiple sclerosis: a preliminary study.

Objective: Potential surrogate markers of disease activity, including response to therapy, are particularly important in a neurological disorder such as multiple sclerosis (MS) which often has a fluctuating course. Based upon previous studies in our laboratory, we hypothesized that measurement of soluble HLA (sHLA) molecules class II in saliva of MS patients can serve as marker of therapeutic response to high dose interferon beta-1a.

Methods: We measured the expression patterns of sHLA-II in saliva in 17 patients with relapsing/remitting MS and compared the results to clinical course and brain MRI.

Soluble HLA measurement in saliva and cerebrospinal fluid in Caucasian patients with multiple sclerosis: a preliminary study.

Background: Measurement of soluble HLA in body fluids has a potential role in assessing disease activity in autoimmune disorders.

Methods: We applied a solid phase, enzyme-linked immunoassay to measure soluble HLA class I (sHLA-I) and class II (sHLA-II) molecules in the saliva and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in 13 untreated patients with relapsing-remitting form of multiple sclerosis (MS). For comparison purposes, we also studied saliva from 53 healthy subjects.

Soluble HLA-I (s-HLA-I) synthesis in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Our objective was to study a possible contribution of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes to soluble HLA-I synthesis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Solid-phase enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) was used to measure sHLA-I in the sera of 20 patients with SLE and 76 normal controls with known HLA phenotypes. Serial serum samples ( n=108) from the above group of patients ( n=19) were further investigated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting.

Soluble HLA-II expression in African-Americans.

Objective: In this study we evaluated the contribution of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes to soluble histocompatibility antigen class II (sHLA-II) secretion in African American patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: A sensitive enzyme-linked immunoassay was used to quantitate sHLA-II in the serum of 7 patients with RA, as well as 28 of their kinships and 49 HLA typed normal African American individuals.

Results: Mean sHLA-II values were higher in patients with RA than those in healthy African American individuals (p < 0.

Soluble HLA in saliva of patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Objectives: The limited number of studies addressing the presence of soluble human leukocyte antigen (HLA) in body fluids such as tears, urine, sweat, and saliva are restricted to healthy subjects. In this study, we applied solid-phase enzyme-linked immunoassay to quantify soluble HLA class I (sHLA-I) and class II (sHLA-II) molecules in saliva and in selected serum samples obtained from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and Sjögren's syndrome (SS).

Results: While saliva from normal subjects (n=35) contained levels of sHLA-I that were undetectable (n=7) or ranged from 9 ng/ml to 70 ng/ml (30+/-3.

Soluble HLA in human body fluids.

There is a growing body of information about the soluble forms of HLA in serum but there are only a few reports discussing sHLA in other body fluids. We quantitated sHLA-I and sHLA-II concentrations in sweat, saliva and tear samples from five normal individuals with known HLA-phenotypes. We also studied sweat samples from an additional 12 normal nonphenotyped subjects, as well as in CSF of 20 subjects with different illnesses, using solid phase enzyme linked immunoassay.

Soluble HLA-I in rheumatic diseases.

Objective: To study serum levels of Class I soluble HLA (sHLA-I) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), polymyositis or dermatomyositis (PM/DM) or scleroderma and to assess the possible influence of ethnic factors on concentration in each disease group.

Methods: Solid-phase enzyme linked immunoassay was used to measure sHLA-I in the serum of 385 patients with varied ethnic backgrounds (American-Caucasians, African-Americans, Georgian-Caucasians) with rheumatic diseases. Studies on patients were compared to similar measurements of 189 healthy individuals.

Serologic allogeneic chimerism.

Background: At least some transplanted livers secrete soluble human leukocyte antigens (sHLA) of donor phenotype into the body fluids of recipients. The individuals in whom this phenomenon occurs are by definition serologic allogeneic chimeras. Because an allogeneic transplanted liver may induce tolerance to itself and other organs in animals of the donor strain, and because maintenance of a soluble antigen in the circulation of any animal in sufficient quantity for a sufficient period generally leads to tolerance, this phenomenon may be biologically important.

Soluble HLA class I antigens in patients with type I diabetes and their family members.

Our objective was to study a possible contribution of MHC genes to S-HLA-I secretion in patients with Type I diabetes. Quantitatively, we used a highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunoassay to measure S-HLA-I in the serum of a total of 39 patients with Type I diabetes, as well as 36 kinships of 12 diabetic patients and 82 normal individuals with known HLA-phenotypes. S-HLA-I levels were abnormally elevated in patients or their non-diabetic relatives compared to normal controls (p < 0.

Soluble fraction of class I human histocompatibility leukocyte antigens in the serum of liver transplant recipients.

In previous studies we reported a solid-phase, enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) that can be used to quantitate the soluble fraction of human histocompatibility leukocyte class I antigens (S-HLA-I) and study their relevance in transplantation. In this study we determined the concentration and distribution of S-HLA-I in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD), as well as in liver transplant recipients. Sera were obtained from 51 patients with ESLD and 40 donor-recipient pairs.

Association of serum concentration of soluble class I HLA with HLA allotypes.

We correlated serum concentrations of soluble class I HLA antigens (S-HLA-I) with HLA allotypes in 82 unrelated Caucasian and 58 unrelated African-American putatively normal subjects, as well as in 31 individuals with stable, normally functioning liver transplants. Caucasian and African-American subjects with HLA-A23 or HLA-A24 were high secretors of S-HLA-I. We also observed that some HLA-A allotypes associated with high serum concentrations of S-HLA-I were ethnicity specific.

Soluble class I HLA antigens in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and their families.

Objective: To study Class I soluble HLA in black patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their families, and to compare the findings to a group of healthy families of the same racial background.

Methods: ELISA was developed measure soluble HLA Class I (sHLAI) in the serum of 25 patients with RA. Family studies were performed in seven patients with RA and their 28 first degree relatives.

Soluble HLA class II concentrations in normal individuals and transplant recipients. Comparison with soluble HLA class I concentrations.

We developed an ELISA to quantify soluble HLA class II (S-HLA-II) in 702 sera obtained from normal subjects, patients with end-stage renal disease, and recipients of renal, hepatic, and cardiac transplants. Concentrations of S-HLA-II were detectable in 124 of 126 normal individuals. The distribution of normal values described a monophasic curve with a skewed distribution.

[Anti-nucleic acid antibodies in children with systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic scleroderma and in their relatives living with the probands].

The nature of antibodies to nucleic acids was studied in children of a Caucasian region suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and systemic sclerodermia (SSD). Two types of antibodies (to two- and one-filament DNA) were revealed in SLE, and in SSD mainly--to one-filament DNA. Antibodies to RNA in patients with SLE were specific for two-filament conformation.

Antibodies to nucleic acids in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis patients and their relatives.

Sera of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients contain antibodies to double-stranded and single-stranded DNA while antibodies found in rheumatoid arthritis sera are specific mainly to single-stranded DNA. Anti-RNA antibodies in the both cases are directed against double-stranded RNA and belong to the IgM class while anti-DNA antibodies are IgG. Genetic variance analysis based on family correlations suggests that the synthesis of antibodies to DNA is subject to different modes of gene regulations in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis patients.