ABSTRACT
Among the biological assays used for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the detection of anti-double strand DNA antibodies (dsDNA Ab) is regarded as highly specific. However this biological parameter is negative among 20 to 40% of patients. Recent studies have revealed potential interest of the anti-nucleosome antibodies in the diagnosis of the lupus, in particular when any anti-dsDNA antibody activity could be detected. We selected 80 sera in order to evaluate four commercial anti-nucleosome enzyme-based immunoassays (EIA) kits. Their sensitivity and specificity values were compared with those obtained by the detection of anti-dsDNA Ab, carried out with both a Farr assay and two EIA kits. No anti-nucleosome EIA kits reached performances of the Farr assay for the diagnosis of lupus. On the other hand, our results show an higher diagnostic value for some anti-nucleosome EIA kits compared with 2 anti-dsDNA EIA kits. Apart from SLE, anti-nucleosome antibodies can be observed in others auto-immune diseases, in particular Sjögren's syndromes, the primary antiphospholipid syndrome, the systemic sclerosis and the mixed connective tissue disease. Compared results of the four anti-nucleosome EIA kits highlight many discordances. These variations, testifying to the absence of standardization for this new parameter, must encourage with a careful interpretation of results, according to the clinical context.
