Coexistence of Autoantibodies against the Golgi Complex and Ro52 Antigen in a Patient with Nonspecific Interstitial Pneumonia

Intern Med. 2016;55(3):273-8. doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.55.3832. Epub 2016 Feb 1.

Abstract

Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) is often associated with connective tissue diseases (CTD). The diagnosis of NSIP was confirmed in a 63-year-old man by high-resolution computed tomography and an open lung biopsy. Anti-Golgi complex autoantibodies (AGA) and anti-Ro52 antibodies were simultaneously detected at high concentrations. Autoantibodies to aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARS) were negative. The patient was treated with corticosteroids for six months. During the seven-year follow-up, NSIP had a slow progression and patient had not developed the clinical features of CTD. The present study potentially demonstrates that the autoimmune process elicited by AGA and/or Ro/SSA may play a role in promoting idiopathic NSIP independently of the typical ARS routes, which has not been reported thus far.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones / administration & dosage*
  • Autoantibodies / immunology*
  • Biopsy
  • Cough / etiology
  • Dyspnea / etiology
  • Fluoroimmunoassay
  • Golgi Apparatus / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias / diagnosis
  • Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias / etiology
  • Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias / immunology*
  • Lung / pathology
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / complications
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / diagnosis
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / immunology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Ribonucleoproteins / immunology*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Adrenal Cortex Hormones
  • Autoantibodies
  • Ribonucleoproteins
  • SS-A antigen