Serum AECA against human umbilical vein endothelial cells were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 25 patients with JDM and 17 normal controls. Immunoblotting was performed to detect serum anti-p155/140 and anti-p140 antibodies.
Patients with JDM had significantly higher serum levels of AECA than healthy controls (p = 0.002). Nineteen patients (76%) and five control patients (29.4%) had positive AECAs (p = 0.003). The cutoff point of serum levels of AECA was determined by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Anti-p155/140 and anti-p140 antibodies were detected in 9 patients and 7 patients with JDM (36% and 28%, respectively). Anti-p155/140 antibodies were significantly associated with higher proportion of ESR elevation (100% vs. 0%, p = 0.006), higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels at diagnosis (40.3 ± 15.5 vs. 13.4 ± 5.3, p = 0.019), and a younger age at diagnosis (5.2 ± 3.2 years vs. 8.0 ± 3.0 years, p = 0.03).
anti-p155/140, anti-p140, and AECA antibodies are significantly associated with JDM. The roles of autoantibodies in the pathogenesis await further investigation.