BT-50 – Main target antigen for atypical pANCA for use in diagnostic tests

Scientists at the University of Bonn, Germany, have identified the main target antigen for the atypical antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies pANCA in autoimmune

liver disorders and chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. BT-50 can be produced by recombinant means and used for the quantification of atypical pANCA in serum probes. So far, atypical pANCA have been detected on ethanol-fixed neutrophils by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. This complex and expensive method represents the “gold standard” by now. In order to develop a simple screening method for atypical pANCA, there have been several attempts to establish an ELISA for use in any routine laboratory. Up to now the sensitivity of these commercially available test systems has always been less than 50%, irrespective of the used antigen (e.g. myeloperoxidase (MPO), cathepsin G, bactericidal/permeability increasing protein etc.), as the responsible antigen was unknown up to the present. Now that BT-50 has been identified as the main target antigen for atypical pANCA, highly specific solid phase tests, e.g. ELISA, can be established for the detection of atypical pANCA. In contrast to immunofluorescence microscopy, ELISA tests can be easily performed in routine laboratories.

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