Autoantibodies - enemies, and/or potential allies?

Abstract

Autoantibodies are well known as potentially highly harmful antibodies which attack the host via binding to self-antigens, thus causing severe associated diseases and symptoms (e.g. autoimmune diseases). However, detection of autoantibodies to a range of disease-associated antigens has enabled their successful usage as important tools in disease diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. There are several advantages of using such autoantibodies. These include the capacity to measure their presence very early in disease development, their stability, which is often much better than their related antigen, and the capacity to use an array of such autoantibodies for enhanced diagnostics and to better predict prognosis. They may also possess capacity for utilization in therapy, in vivo. In this review both the positive and negative aspects of autoantibodies are critically assessed, including their role in autoimmune diseases, cancers and the global pandemic caused by COVID-19. Important issues related to their detection are also highlighted.

Autoantibodies to Interferons in Infectious Diseases

“…Moreover, reasons for the generation of aAbs are not exactly clarified, although several hypotheses were proposed. Potential hypotheses are as follows: (a) tolerance defects and inflammation; (b) modification of antigen expression; (c) changes in exposure or presentation of antigens; (d) cellular death mechanisms; (e) combination of genetic and environmental factors (e.g., simultaneous exposure to microorganisms with certain toxins and hazardous chemicals); and (f) infections with viral proteins with sequences similar to a human protein (in around 20 autoimmune diseases, aAbs are generated due to cross-reactivity to infectious agent proteins) [ 168 , 169 ]. The thymic involution, which is a naturally occurring part of the aging process that leads to reduced thymus activity, also increased the likelihood of high autoimmune incidence [ 170 ].…”

Review of Technological Challenges in Personalised Medicine and Early Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Disorders

“…Autoantibodies or natural antibodies consist of immunoglobulins that react with self-antigens both in healthy individuals and in patients with autoimmune diseases, since the immune system sometimes fails to distinguish between self-antigens and non-self-antigens [ 153 , 154 ]. Autoantibodies are mainly produced by a small subset of B lymphocytes and can consist of proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids, or various combinations of these biological materials [ 155 ].…”

Immunosensors for Autoimmune-Disease-Related Biomarkers: A Literature Review

“…In addition to the aforementioned AD immunosensors, sensors based on similar technological approaches that can detect cancer-related autoantibodies, such as anti-p53 antibodies, have been developed [ 73 ]. Comprehensive reviews focusing on biosensors/immunosensors for AD- and cancer-related autoantibodies have been recently published [ 1 , 15 ].…”

“…Many autoantibodies have been associated with pathogenesis/treatment of specific ADs, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) [ 13 ]. Moreover, a series of autoantibodies has been proposed to serve as diagnostic biomarkers for ADs [ 14 , 15 , 16 ]; specifically, various anti-citrullinated protein/peptide antibodies (ACPAs) and rheumatoid factors (RFs), i.e., IgM, IgA, and IgG antibodies directed against the Fc fragment of the patient’s own IgG molecules, were included in the classification criteria for RA set by the European League against Rheumatism (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) [ 17 , 18 , 19 ].…”