TITLE:
Anti-Aminoacyl tRNA Synthetases Antibodies in Japanese Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease
AUTHORS:
Shinji Sato, Michito Hirakata, Koichiro Asano, Masataka Kuwana
KEYWORDS:
Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), Anti-Aminoacyl tRNA Synthetases (ARS) Antibodies, Autoantibody, Interstitial Pneumonia with Autoimmune Features (IPAF)
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Rheumatology and Autoimmune Diseases,
Vol.8 No.1,
February
27,
2018
ABSTRACT: Objectives: In the present study, we have sought to establish the clinical and
immunological characteristics of Japanese patients with interstitial lung
disease (ILD). Methods: Serum samples from 35 patients of ILD were
screened for autoantibodies using RNA and protein immunoprecipitation assays.
Patients with or without serum antibodies to aminoacyl tRNA synthetases (ARS)
were assessed clinically and compared. Results: Sera from 12 of 35 (34%)
patients with ILD (mean age at onset = 49.7 yrs; range 27 - 65 yrs) were found
to contain anti-ARS antibodies (anti-EJ: 3 patients; anti-OJ: 2 patients;
anti-PL-12: 3 patients; anti-KS: 4 patients). Nine of the 12 (75%) were female.
Six (50%) had Raynaud’s phenomenon, 5 (42%) had arthralgia/arthritis and four
(33%) had rheumatoid factor. Lung biopsy specimens of 8 patients with anti-ARS
antibodies were examined histologically in detail. The following was
determined: Two patients had usual interstitial pneumonia; 3 had non-specific
interstitial pneumonia; one had organizing pneumonia; one had lymphocyte
interstitial pneumonia and the remaining patient had desquamative interstitial
pneumonia. Age at disease onset was significantly lower and the frequency of
Raynaud’s phenomenon was significantly greater in these patients compared to
anti-ARS-negative patients (49.7 yrs vs. 62.6 yrs, p = 0.004; 50% vs. 4%, p = 0.003,
respectively). Conclusions: These results indicate that the presence of
anti-ARS autoantibodies correlates with ILD without definite diagnosis of
connective tissue diseases as well as polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) with
ILD in Japanese patients.