Autoantibody studies of female patients with reproductive failure.

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and character of autoimmune derangements in women with reproductive failure. A total of 108 females (age range 17-43, mean 27.5 years), including 16 with primary menstrual cycle disturbances and polycystic ovaries (PCO), 20 with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), 38 with endometriosis (E), and 34 with chronic anovulation, luteal phase insufficiency, subfertility or unexplained infertility (INF) were investigated. A control group of 392 women was formed from an unselected population sample (age range 17-43, mean 31.0 years). All sera were tested by indirect immunofluorescence method to assess common autoantibodies: nuclear (ANA), smooth muscle (SMA), parietal cell (PCA), thyroid microsomal (TMA), reticulin (ARA), mitochondrial (AMA) and liver/kidney microsomal autoantibodies (LKMA). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect antibodies against beta2-glycoprotein I (anti-beta 2GPI) and carbonic anhydrase (anti-CA). Our results showed that 40.7% of patients' sera and 14.8% of control sera contained one or more common autoantibodies, ANA and SMA were most frequently detected (difference between two groups P<0.005). Anti-beta 2GPI were found in eight cases (7.4%), including two patients with INF but without other autoantibodies. Anti-CA were revealed in nine cases (8.3%) including patients' PCOS, E and INF. A comparison of patients' clinical data with antibody assay results did not reveal any significant associations. Our results indicate a high prevalence of autoimmune reactions in women with reproductive failure due to the most common causes PCO, PCOS and E as well as in unexplained infertility. This might reflect the propensity to develop autoimmune reactions in such patients, including pathogenic autoimmune reactions to specific target antigens.

Autoantibodies in Estonia and Sweden, populations with different responses to allergens.

BACKGROUND: There are substantial differences in immune-mediated disease prevalence between different countries and populations which cannot be explained by genetic variability. AIMS: To compare the prevalence of antinuclear (ANA), antimitochondrial, antireticulin, liver-kidney microsomal, parietal cell, thyroid microsomal and double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibodies among adults aged 20-44 years in two towns, i.e. in Tartu, Estonia (n = 448) and in Uppsala, Sweden (n = 532) with a low and a high prevalence of allergy. METHODS: For autoantibody detection, standard indirect immunofluorescence tests on tissue and Chritidia lucilia antigenic preparations were used (sera were diluted starting from 1:10). RESULTS: The prevalence of ANA was lower in Tartu than in Uppsala (3 vs. 10% among males and 11 vs. 16% among females; p<0.01 and p<0.1, respectively). Furthermore, dsDNA antibody-positive cases were only identified in Uppsala. The largest difference between the two populations was revealed for IgM type ANA, both among males (1 vs. 6%; p<0.02) and females (5 vs. 11%; p<0.01). In addition, the antibody titers were lower in Tartu than in Uppsala (p<0.05). The prevalence of other autoantibodies was similar in the two towns. CONCLUSIONS: The findings could support that Th2-like immune responses are commoner in Sweden than in Estonia, as previously suggested by the higher prevalence of allergy.