Anti-dense fine speckled 70 (DFS70) autoantibodies: correlates and increasing prevalence in the United States

Abstract

ObjectiveRecent studies report high-titer anti-dense fine speckled 70 (DFS70) autoantibodies in persons with inflammatory conditions, but the clinical significance remains unclear. Our goals were to estimate anti-DFS70 autoantibody prevalence, identify correlates, and assess time trends.MethodsSerum antinuclear antibodies (ANA) were measured by indirect immunofluorescence assay on HEp-2 cells in 13,519 participants ≥12 years old from three time periods (1988–1991, 1999–2004, 2011–2012) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. ANA-positive participants with dense fine speckled staining were evaluated for anti-DFS70 antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We used logistic models adjusted for survey-design variables to estimate period-specific anti-DFS70 antibody prevalence in the US, and we further adjusted for sex, age, and race/ethnicity to identify correlates and assess time trends.ResultsWomen were more likely than men (odds ratio (OR)=2.97), black persons were less likely than white persons (OR=0.60), and active smokers were less likely than nonsmokers (OR=0.28) to have anti-DFS70 antibodies. The prevalence of anti-DFS70 antibodies increased from 1.6% in 1988-1991 to 2.5% in 1999-2004 to 4.0% in 2011-2012, which corresponds to 3.2 million, 5.8 million, and 10.4 million seropositive individuals, respectively. This increasing time trend in the US population (P<0.0001) was modified in some subgroups and was not explained by concurrent changes in tobacco smoke exposure. Some, but not all, anti-DFS70 antibody correlates and time trends resembled those reported for total ANA.ConclusionMore research is needed to elucidate anti-DFS70 antibody triggers, their pathologic or potentially protective influences on disease, and their possible clinical implications.

Discriminating between Homogeneous (AC-1) and Dense Fine Speckled (AC-2) Antinuclear Antibody Patterns: Re-Evaluation of Immunofluorescence Imaging

“…In a large ANA-positive cohort, the prevalence of the AC-2 pattern accounted for 3.1%, and 97.6% of the positive AC-2 pattern cases displayed a low ANA titer of (≤1:320) [26]. An increasing trend over time of prevalence of anti-DFS70 autoantibodies was observed among the US population [27]. Although anti-DFS70 autoantibodies are regarded as negatively associated with SARDs, their pathologic or protective influences on diseases remain uncertain [27].…”

“…An increasing trend over time of prevalence of anti-DFS70 autoantibodies was observed among the US population [27]. Although anti-DFS70 autoantibodies are regarded as negatively associated with SARDs, their pathologic or protective influences on diseases remain uncertain [27]. DFS70 plays important roles in the transcriptional activation of specific genes, formation of transcription complexes in active chromatin, DNA repair, regulation of mRNA splicing, and cellular survival against stress, and the biological and clinical significance of anti-DFS70 autoantibodies remains mysterious [8].…”