Reflecting on a decade of the international consensus on ANA patterns (ICAP): Accomplishments and challenges from the perspective of the 7th ICAP workshop.

The International Consensus on ANA Patterns (ICAP) is an ongoing international initiative dedicated to harmonizing technical and interpretation aspects of the HEp-2 IFA test. Comprised of internationally recognized experts in autoimmunity and HEp-2 IFA testing, ICAP has operated for the last 10 years by promoting accurate reading, interpretation, and reporting of HEp-2 IFA images by professionals involved in various areas related to autoimmune diseases, such as clinical diagnostic laboratories, academic research, IVD industry, and patient care. ICAP operates through continuous information exchange with the international community and encourages the participation of younger experts from all over the world.

Supragingival Bacterium Oral Infection-Induced Periodontitis and Robust miRNA Expression Kinetics.

(, Sg) is one of the early colonizing, supragingival commensal bacterium normally associated with oral health in human dental plaque. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in the inflammation-mediated pathways and are involved in periodontal disease (PD) pathogenesis. PD is a polymicrobial dysbiotic immune-inflammatory disease initiated by microbes in the gingival sulcus/pockets.

Adopting the International Consensus on ANA Patterns (ICAP) classification for reporting: the experience of Italian clinical laboratories.

The indirect immunofluorescence assay on HEp-2 cells (HEp-2 IFA) is still considered the reference method to detect anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) because of its high sensitivity and represents a relevant tool for the diagnosis of autoimmune rheumatic diseases. During the last decade, the International Consensus on ANA Patterns (ICAP) initiative promoted harmonization and understanding of HEp-2 IFA staining pattern nomenclature, as well as promoting their use in patient care by providing interpretation for HEp-2 IFA test results. In conjunction with a nationwide survey on the evolution of autoantibody diagnostics in autoimmune rheumatic diseases, we focused on the adherence of the Italian laboratories to the ICAP nomenclature analyzing its lights and shadows.

Oral Spirochete Intraoral Infection Reveals Unique miR-133a, miR-486, miR-126-3p, miR-126-5p miRNA Expression Kinetics during Periodontitis.

miRNAs are major regulators of eukaryotic gene expression and host immunity, and play an important role in the inflammation-mediated pathways in periodontal disease (PD) pathogenesis. Expanding our previous observation with the global miRNA profiling using partial human mouth microbes, and lack of in vivo studies involving oral spirochete -induced miRNAs, this study was designed to delineate the global miRNA expression kinetics during progression of periodontitis in mice infected with by using NanoString nCounter miRNA panels. All of the -infected male and female mice at 8 and 16 weeks demonstrated bacterial colonization (100%) on the gingival surface, and an increase in alveolar bone resorption ( < 0.

Anti-dense fine speckled 70 (DFS70) autoantibodies: correlates and increasing prevalence in the United States.

Objective: Recent studies report high-titer anti-dense fine speckled 70 (DFS70) autoantibodies in persons with inflammatory conditions, but the clinical significance remains unclear. Our goals were to estimate anti-DFS70 autoantibody prevalence, identify correlates, and assess time trends.

Methods: Serum antinuclear antibodies (ANA) were measured by indirect immunofluorescence assay on HEp-2 cells in 13,519 participants ≥12 years old from three time periods (1988-1991, 1999-2004, 2011-2012) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Analytical aspects of the antinuclear antibody test by HEp-2 indirect immunofluorescence: EFLM report on an international survey.

Objectives: Detection of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) by indirect immunofluorescence assay using HEp-2 cells (HEp-2 IFA) is used to screen for various autoimmune diseases. HEp-2 IFA suffers from variability, which hampers harmonization.

Methods: A questionnaire was developed to collect information on HEp-2 IFA methodology, computer-assisted diagnosis (CAD) systems, training, inter-observer variability, quality assessment, reagent lot change control, and method verification.

Detection of antinuclear antibodies: recommendations from EFLM, EASI and ICAP.

Objectives: Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are important for the diagnosis of various autoimmune diseases. ANA are usually detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using HEp-2 cells (HEp-2 IFA). There are many variables influencing HEp-2 IFA results, such as subjective visual reading, serum screening dilution, substrate manufacturing, microscope components and conjugate.

Specific microRNA Signature Kinetics in -Induced Periodontitis.

is one of the major bacteria constituting the subgingival pathogenic polymicrobial milieu during periodontitis. Our objective is to determine the global microRNA (miRNA, miR) expression kinetics in 8- and 16-weeks duration of infection in C57BL/6J mice and to identify the miRNA signatures at specific time-points in mice. We evaluated differential expression (DE) miRNAs in mandibles ( = 10) using high-throughput NanoString nCounter miRNA expression panels.

Increasing Prevalence of Antinuclear Antibodies in the United States.

Objective: Growing evidence suggests increasing frequencies of autoimmunity and autoimmune diseases, but findings are limited by the lack of systematic data and evolving approaches and definitions. This study was undertaken to investigate whether the prevalence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA), the most common biomarker of autoimmunity, changed over a recent 25-year span in the US.

Methods: Serum ANA were measured by standard indirect immunofluorescence assays on HEp-2 cells in 13,519 participants age ≥12 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, with approximately one-third from each of 3 time periods: 1988-1991, 1999-2004, and 2011-2012.

Fusobacterium is enriched in oral cancer and promotes induction of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1).

Recently, increased number of studies have demonstrated a relationship between the oral microbiome and development of head and neck cancer, however, there are few studies to investigate the role of oral bacteria in the context of the tumor microenvironment in a single head and neck subsite. Here, paired tumor and adjacent normal tissues from thirty-seven oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients were subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing and whole exome sequencing (WES), in addition to RNA sequencing for tumor samples. We observed that Fusobacterium was significantly enriched in oral tongue cancer and that Rothia and Streptococcus were enriched in adjacent normal tissues.

Expanded assessment of xenobiotic associations with antinuclear antibodies in the United States, 1988-2012.

Background: The prevalence of autoimmunity in the U.S. has increased recently for undetermined reasons.

Global Noncoding microRNA Profiling in Mice Infected with Partial Human Mouth Microbes (PAHMM) Using an Ecological Time-Sequential Polybacterial Periodontal Infection (ETSPPI) Model Reveals Sex-Specific Differential microRNA Expression.

Periodontitis (PD) is a polymicrobial dysbiotic immuno-inflammatory disease. It is more prevalent in males and has poorly understood pathogenic molecular mechanisms. Our primary objective was to characterize alterations in sex-specific microRNA (miRNA, miR) after periodontal bacterial infection.

Anti-Ro52 Autoantibody Is Common in Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases and Correlating with Worse Outcome when Associated with interstitial lung disease in Systemic Sclerosis and Autoimmune Myositis.

This review highlights the 30 plus years research progress since the discovery of autoantibody to Ro52/TRIM21 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Sjögren's syndrome (SjS). After the initial expression cloning of the Ro52 cDNA, it has taken many years to the current understanding in the interesting biological function of Ro52 as an E3 ubiquitin ligase and its role in innate immune clearance of intracellular IgG-bound complex. Early observations show that anti-Ro52, mostly associated with anti-SS-A/Ro60 and/or anti-SS-B/La, is commonly found in SLE (40-70%), SjS (70-90%), neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE, 75-90%), and subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (50-60%).

The International Consensus on ANA Patterns (ICAP) in 2021-The 6th Workshop and Current Perspectives.

The establishment of the International Consensus on ANA Patterns (ICAP) in 2014-2015 was welcomed by members of the medical community as a significant improvement in guiding harmonization of ANA test interpretation and reporting. In the subsequent years, several itinerant meetings and continuous interaction with the community contributed to disseminate the ICAP harmonization on the immunofluorescence patterns observed in the indirect immunofluorescence assay on HEp-2 cells (HEp-2 IFA) and to promote progressive improvement in the classification of HEp-2 IFA patterns. The 6th ICAP Workshop was held in person on September 6, 2021 as a satellite meeting of the 15th Dresden Symposium on Autoantibodies.

Strong Association of the Myriad Discrete Speckled Nuclear Pattern With Anti-SS-A/Ro60 Antibodies: Consensus Experience of Four International Expert Centers.

Introduction: The morphological patterns in indirect immunofluorescence assay on HEp-2 cells (HEp-2 IFA) reflect the autoantibodies in the sample. The International Consensus on ANA Patterns (ICAP) classifies 30 relevant patterns (AC-0 to AC-29). AC-4 (fine speckled nuclear pattern) is associated to anti-SS-A/Ro, anti-SS-B/La, and several autoantibodies.

How to report the antinuclear antibodies (anti-cell antibodies) test on HEp-2 cells: guidelines from the ICAP initiative.

Results of the anti-nuclear antibodies-indirect immunofluorescence assay (anti-cell antibodies test) on HEp-2 cell substrates should be communicated to clinicians in a standardized way, adding value to laboratory findings and helping with critical clinical decisions. This paper proposes a test report based on the practices informed by 118 laboratories in 68 countries, with recommendations from the International Consensus on ANA Patterns (ICAP) group. Major focus is placed on the report format containing endpoint titers, immunofluorescence patterns together with anti-cell (AC) nomenclature, remarks on follow-up or reflex testing, and possible other autoantibody associations.

Subgingival microbiome of deep and shallow periodontal sites in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a pilot study.

Background: Subgingival microbiome in disease-associated subgingival sites is known to be dysbiotic and significantly altered. In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the extent of dysbiosis in disease- and health-associated subgingival sites is not clear.

Methods: 8 RA and 10 non-RA subjects were recruited for this pilot study.

The antinuclear antibody HEp-2 indirect immunofluorescence assay: a survey of laboratory performance, pattern recognition and interpretation.

Background: To evaluate the interpretation and reporting of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using HEp-2 substrates based on common practice and guidance by the International Consensus on ANA patterns (ICAP).

Method: Participants included two groups [16 clinical laboratories (CL) and 8 in vitro diagnostic manufacturers (IVD)] recruited via an email sent to the Association of Medical Laboratory Immunologists (AMLI) membership. Twelve (n = 12) pre-qualified specimens were distributed to participants for testing, interpretation and reporting HEp-2 IFA.

Fusobacteria modulate oral carcinogenesis and promote cancer progression.

Evidence suggest periodontal bacterial infection can contribute to oral cancer initiation and progression. To investigate the effects of periodontal bacteria on oral cancer cell behavior using a cell-based system and a mouse carcinogenesis model. Oral cancer cell lines were polyinfected with four periodontal bacteria.