Presence of anti-TIF-1γ, anti-Ro52, anti-SSA/Ro60 and anti-Su/Ago2 antibodies in breast cancer: a cross-sectional study

Objectives The presence of myositis-specific antibodies (MSA), was recently reported in healthy individuals, cancer patients without myopathy and paraneoplastic rheumatic syndromes. We sought to analyze the frequency of MSA, myositis-associated antibodies (MAA) and autoantibodies related to systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD) in breast cancer patients. Methods One hundred fifty-two breast cancer patients were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Clinical information was collected, and autoantibodies tested by immunoprecipitation of an S-35-methionine-labeled K562 cell extract, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot when indicated. All statistical tests were performed using the software statistical package for the social science (SPSS) ver. 19.0 (IBM Inc., NYSE, USA). Results Autoantibodies associated with SARD: anti-52 kD ribonucleoprotein/tripartite motif-containing 21 (anti-Ro52/TRIM21) was found in 5.9% (9/152), anti-Sjogren syndrome-related antigen A/60 kD ribonucleoprotein antibody (anti-SSA/Ro60) in 3.9% (6/152) and anti-Su antigen/Argonaute 2 antibody (anti-Su/Ago2) in 2.6% (4/152). Meanwhile, anti-transcription intermediary factor-1 gamma (anti-TIF-1 gamma, p155/140) antibody was positive in 2 cases and anti-polymyositis/scleroderma antibody was detected in one case. As a whole, 14.47% (22/152) of breast cancer patients showed autoantibodies associated with SARD. These specific autoantibodies were not associated with the presence of rheumatic diseases except one rheumatoid arthritis patient positive for anti-Ro52/TRIM21. Conclusions Autoantibodies to TIF-1 gamma were found in two patients with breast cancer without dermatomyositis (DM). More common specificities were autoantibodies anti-SSA/Ro60, anti-Ro52/TRIM21 and anti-Su/Ago2. More studies are needed in order to establish the biological meaning of the presence of SARD-associated autoantibodies in breast cancer.

Automated summary

The study found that about 14.47% of breast cancer patients showed autoantibodies associated with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD), with the most common specificities being anti-SSA/Ro60, anti-Ro52/TRIM21, and anti-Su/Ago2. Further research is needed to establish the biological significance of these SARD-associated autoantibodies in breast cancer.