Principal Investigator
Abstract
The Immune Tolerance Network (ITN) Autoantibody Core analyzes patient serum for the presence of autoantibodies using semi-automated, high-throughput radioassays.
Translated cDNA constructs are used to express autoantigens for the assay. Currently, there are three anti-islet autoantibody tests (GAD65, ICA512 and mIAAA), one Addison's disease related autoantibody test (21-
hdryoxlyase) and one Celiac disease-related autoantibody test (tissue transglutaminase). New assays are in development. All of these assays can be run with Ig isotyping (IgG subclasses, IgA, IgE and IgM).
This core has participated in the 2007 CDC-sponsored Diabetes Autoantibody Standardization Program (DASP), comparing multiple national/international laboratories' measures of GAD65, IA-2 (ICA512) and insulin autoantibodies. This laboratory had one of the highest reported sensitivity and specificities in an analysis of 100 controls and 50 patients with new onset diabetes. The sensitivity and specificity are 90% and 96% for GAD65, 64% and 98% for ICA512bdc, 68% and 99% for IA-2ic, 66% and 99% for mIAA, and 58% and 99% for ZnT8.