Anti-nucleosome Antibodies: Diagnostic and Clinical Implications in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic , inflammatory autoimmune disease with a wide range of clinical and immunological abnormalities. The presence of varied autoantibodies, immune complex deposition and end organ damage are characteristic of the disease. Among the wide range of anti-nuclear antibodies lined up in the diagnostic armamentarium of SLE presently, antinucleosome antibodies are considered superior to the previously main diagnostic marker anti-dsDNA antibodies. Antinucleosome antibodies have a higher sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of SLE and SLE disease activity. They are found in active SLE cases and even in dsDNA negative patients. More ever, they are not found in healthy controls. Thus, antinucleosome antibodies can be utilized as a potential marker for the diagnosis and assessment of SLE disease activity.