The Level of IgA Antibodies to CD74 in Patients with Spondyloarthritis and Degenerative-Dystrophic Diseases of the Spine

Background. According to the scientific literature, anti-CD74 IgA antibodies (IgA anti-CD74) are considered as a possible marker for the diagnosis of axial spondyloarthritis (SpA). The level of IgA anti-CD74 in patients with back pain due to degenerative spine disease has not been studied. Therefore, it could be interesting to compare the serum levels of IgA anti-CD74 in patients with chronic back pain in various diseases. Aim: to compare the levels of IgA anti-CD74 in patients with SpA and degenerative spine diseases. Material and methods. A total of 87 SpA patients (55 male, mean age 41 [29; 49] years) fulfilling the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society (2009) criteria for Axial SpA, and 39 patients (25 male, mean age 45 [34; 53] years) with neurologist-verified degenerative spine diseases (ICD 10 codes — M 51.1 and M 54.4) were enrolled to the study. The serum levels of IgA anti-CD74 were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in all patients. Results. The median levels of IgA anti-CD74 in patients with SpA were 11.3 [5.4; 19.4] U/ml, in patients with degenerative spine disease — 6.9 [4.5; 13.7] U/ml (p=0.024). IgA anti-CD74 serum levels were above the cut-off value in 58 (66.7 %) patients with SpA and only in 11 (28.2 %) patients with degenerative spine disease (p<0,001). The elevated serum levels of IgA anti-CD74 were detected in 10 (40 %) of 25 male patients and in 1 (7.1 %) of 14 female patients (p = 0.029, χ2 = 4.785) with degenerative spine disease. Conclusion. Serum levels of I gA anti-CD74 were increased in two-thirds of patients with SpA. IgA anti-CD74 was significantly higher in SpA patients compared to patients with degenerative spine disease. >< 0,001). The elevated serum levels of IgA anti-CD74 were detected in 10 (40 %) of 25 male patients and in 1 (7.1 %) of 14 female patients (p = 0.029, χ2 = 4.785) with degenerative spine disease. Conclusion. Serum levels of I gA anti-CD74 were increased in two-thirds of patients with SpA. IgA anti-CD74 was significantly higher in SpA patients compared to patients with degenerative spine disease.

1. Erdes S.F., Rebrov A.P., Dubinina T.V. et al. Spondyloarthritis: modern terminology anddefinitions. Ter Arkh. 2019; 91(5): 84–8. doi:10.26442/00403660.2019.05.000208 [in Russian].

2. Abdelaziz M.M., Gamal R.M., Ismail N.M., et al. Diagnostic value of anti-CD74 antibodies in early and late axial spondyloarthritis and its relationship to disease activity. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2021 Jan 5; 60(1): 263-268. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/keaa292. PMID: 32710117

3. Liu Y., Liao Х., Shi G. Autoantibodies in Spondyloarthritis, Focusing on Anti-CD74 Antibodies. Front Immunol. 2019 Jan 22; 10: 5. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00005

4. Baerlecken N.T., Nothdorft S., Stummvoll G.H., et al. Autoantibodies against CD74 in spondyloarthritis. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 2014; 73(6): 1211-4. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-202208.

5. Ziade N.R., Mallak I., Merheb G., et al. Added Value of AntiCD74 Autoantibodies in Axial SpondyloArthritis in a Population With Low HLA-B27 Prevalence. Front. Immunol. 10: 574. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.00574.

6. Kuznetsova D.A., Lapin S.V., Gaydukova I.Z., et al. The clinical diagnostic significance of auto antibodies to CD74 at axial spondylarthrosis. Klinicheskaya Laboratornaya Diagnostika (Russian Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics) 2018; 68 (5): 297-301. doi: 10.18821/0869-2084-2018-63-5-297-301. [in Russian].

7. Garrett S., Jenkinson T., Kennedy L.G., et al. A new approach to defining disease status in ankylosing spondylitis: the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index. J Rheumatol. 1994;21(12):2286–2291.

8. Lukas C., Landewé R., Sieper J., et al. Assessmentof Spondylo Arthritis international Society. Developmentof an ASAS-endorsed disease activity score (ASDAS) in patientswith ankylosing spondylitis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2009; 68(1): 18–24. doi: 10.1136/ard.2008.094870

9. Poddubnyy D. Classification vs diagnostic criteria: the challenge of diagnosing axial spondyloarthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2020; 59(Suppl4): iv6-iv17. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/keaa250.

10. Baerlecken N.T., Witte T. Methods and means for diagnosing spondyloarthritis using autoantibody markers. Patent EP, № 2420834A1; 2010.

11. Baerlecken N.T., Nothdorft S., Stummvoll G.H., et al. Autoantibodies against CD74 in spondyloarthritis. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 2014; 73(6): 1211-4.doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-202208.

12. Baraliakos X., Baerlecken N., Witte T., et al. High prevalence of anti-CD74 antibodies specific for the HLA class IIassociated invariant chain peptide (CLIP) in patients with axial spondyloarthritis. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 2014; 73(6): 1079-82. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2012-202177.

13. Prajzlerová K., Grobelná K., Pavelka K., et al. An update on biomarkers in axial spondyloarthritis. Autoimmun. Rev.2016; 15(6): 501-9. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2016.02.002.

14. Weber K.T., Alipui D.O., Sison C.P., et al. Serum levels of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 vary based on diagnoses in individuals with lumbar intervertebral disc diseases. Arthritis Res Ther. 2016 Jan 7;18:3. doi: 10.1186/s13075-015-0887-8.

15. Rodrigues L.M.R., Oliveira L.Z., Silva M.B.R.D. et al. Share Inflammatory biomarkers in sera of patients with intervertebral disc degeneration. Einstein (Sao Paulo). 2019 Aug 29; 17(4): eAO4637. doi: 10.31744/einstein_journal/2019AO4637.