Novel autoantibodies help diagnose anti-SSA antibody negative Sjögren’s disease and predict abnormal labial salivary gland pathology

Objectives

Sj□gren’s disease (SjD) diagnosis requires either positive anti-SSA antibodies or a labial salivary gland biopsy with a positive focus score (FS). One-third of SjD patients lack anti-SSA antibodies (SSA-), requiring a positive FS for diagnosis. Our objective was to identify novel autoantibodies to diagnose ‘seronegative’ SjD.

Methods

IgG binding to a high density whole human peptidome array was quantified using sera from SSA- SjD cases and matched non-autoimmune controls. We identified the highest bound peptides using empirical Bayesian statistical filters, which we confirmed in an independent cohort comprising SSA- SjD (n=76), sicca controls without autoimmunity (n=75), and autoimmune controls (SjD features but not meeting SjD criteria; n=41). In this external validation, we used non-parametric methods for peptide abundance and controlled false discovery rate in group comparisons. For predictive modeling, we used logistic regression, model selection methods, and cross-validation to identify clinical and peptide variables that predict SSA- SjD and FS positivity.

Results

IgG against a peptide from D-aminoacyl-tRNA deacylase (DTD2) was bound more in SSA- SjD than sicca controls (p=.004) and more than combined controls (sicca and autoimmune controls combined; p=0.003). IgG against peptides from retroelement silencing factor-1 (RESF1) and DTD2, were bound more in FS-positive than FS-negative participants (p=.010; p=0.012). A predictive model incorporating clinical variables showed good discrimination between SjD versus control (AUC 74%) and between FS-positive versus FS-negative (AUC 72%).

Conclusion

We present novel autoantibodies in SSA- SjD that have good predictive value for SSA- SjD and FS-positivity.

KEY MESSAGES

• What is already known on this topic - Seronegative (anti-SSA antibody negative [SSA-]) Sjögren’s disease (SjD) requires a labial salivary gland biopsy for diagnosis, which is challenging to obtain and interpret.

• What this study adds - We identified novel autoantibodies in SSA- SjD that, when combined with readily available clinical variables, provide good predictive ability to discriminate 1) SSA- SjD from control participants and 2) abnormal salivary gland biopsies from normal salivary gland biopsies.

• How this study might affect research, practice or policy - This study provides novel diagnostic antibodies addressing the critical need for improvement of SSA- SjD diagnostic tools.