Analytical chemistry used in systemic sclerosis study

Scientists have used analytical chemistry methods to identify new target autoantigens in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

The study, published by Arthritis Research & Therapy, stated that antinuclear antibodies (ANA) can normally be found in 90 per cent of SSc patients with the use of indirect immunofluorescence on HEp-2 cells, however, this method does not work on the remaining ten per cent.

Electrophoresis and immunoblotting approaches were combined to analyse antibodies in 45 SSc patients in groups of three, while a group of 12 healthy individuals were used as a control.

The analytical chemistry tests resulted in the identification of 974 protein spots in HEp-2 cell and 832 in enriched nuclear protein extracts.

It also found that several identified target antigens were involved in the transforming growth factor-beta pathway.

In the publication, the scientists claimed that the specification of the new autoantibodies could help in understanding the pathophysiology of SSc, as well as create new diagnostic and prognostic markers.