Detection of antibodies to elastin, collagen type I, collagen type IV in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema

Smirnova A.

Vitebsk State Medical University, Vitebsk, Belarus

Objective. Aim was the development and testing of a method of diagnostics of autoimmune phenotype of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by determining IgG antibodies to elastin, collagen type I and collagen type IV.
Material and methods. The moderate and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD patients (n = 30) with emphysema (GOLD), patients (n = 20) with allergic bronchial asthma (BA) (GINA, with emphysema - 8) were included in the study. The control group included 12 healthy volunteers without respiratory disease. To detect IgG autoantibodies in serum we used ELISA. The bovine elastin, the human lung elastin, the bovine collagen type I collagen, human collagen type IV from placenta were used as an antigen. The test system GBM-Ab ELISA was used to detect antibodies to the domain 3 chain collagen type IV (NC1 3 IV).
Results. In COPD patients with emphysema autoantibodies to the elastin (83% (25 patients)), to the collagen type I (97% (29 patients)), to the collagen type IV (70% (21 patients)) were found. In BA patients with emphysema autoantibodies to the elastin were detected in 88% patients (7 of 8), antibodies to collagen type I were detected in 8 patients, antibodies to collagen type IV were detected in 50% patients (4 of 8). In the group BA without emphysema elastin antibodies were not detected, antibodies to collagen type I were detected in 6 of 12 patients (50%), antibody to type IV collagen were detected in 1 patient (8%). In the control group (n = 12) elastin antibodies were found in 3 (25%) patients, to collagen type I were found in 2 patients (17%), to collagen type IV - in 1 (8%). In 6 COPD patients with emphysema were identified the level of GBM autoantibodies > 6.5 U/ml, one patient > 10 U/ml, two patients > 20 U/ml.
Conclusions. Detection of antibodies to elastin, collagen type I and collagen type IV can diagnose emphysema which may serve as biomarkers for emphysema and COPD. Based on the results our research was separated autoimmune phenotype COPD.