The Association between Anti-Histone and Anti-Vimentine autoantibodies with Peripheral Neuropathy in Systemic Lupus Erythematous

Document Type : Original Research Papers

Authors

1 Rheumatology, Rehabilitation and Physical medicine, Dept., Faculty of Medicine, Benha Univ., Benha, Egypt

2 Medical Biochemistry, Dept., Faculty of Medicine, Benha Univ., Benha, Egypt.

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic, chronic disease characterized by a persistent immune
hyperactivation response with multiorgan destruction, accompanied with various autoantibodies. Peripheral neuropathy is
an important manifestation of SLE. Antibodies to histones (AHA) are commonly seen in SLE patients. Vimentin is a
protein of intermediate filament family, which is expressed in all mesenchymal cells. Aim of work: The aim of the study
was to correlate between the peripheral neuropathy and the disease activity and severity and to determine the association
between anti-histone and anti-vimentin IGg autoantibodies levels and peripheral neuropathy in SLE patients. Patients and
methods: This study was a case control study that included fifty patients diagnosed according to SLICC 2019 criteria for
SLE and thirty apparently healthy volunteers recruited as a control group. Assessment of damage was done by SLICC/ACR
damage index. Serum level of Ig G autoantibodies against: heparin sulfate, Histone H2B and Vimentin was assessed by
ELISA. Electrodiagnostic studies were done to median nerve, ulnar nerve, radial nerve, tibial nerve, peroneal and sural
nerve. Results: The vast majority of cases were females, with only 6% males and the mean age of the study population was
23 years. As regard the immunological characteristics, nearly all of the cases had positive ANA (96%), while only around
78% had positive anti double stranded DNA. Anti-vimentin was positive in only 18% of the cases. Anti-histone was
positive in 28% of the case. SLEDAI score showed positive non-significant correlations with each of anti-vimentin and
anti-histone. Conclusion: Positive and significant correlations could be found between peripheral neuropathy in SLE
patients and levels each of anti-vimentin and anti-histone. Non-significant correlations could be found between severity of
SLE and each of anti-vimentin and anti-histone anti bodies .

Keywords