Anti-Ku antibodies: Clinical, genetic and diagnostic insights

Autoimmun Rev. 2010 Aug;9(10):691-4. doi: 10.1016/j.autrev.2010.05.020. Epub 2010 Jun 4.

Abstract

Anti-Ku antibodies are reported in various connective tissue diseases and the Ku complex can be responsible for a very strong autoimmune answer in autoimmune disease. Nowadays, anti-Ku antibodies are detected by ELISA, counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE), immunoblot (IB) and new highly performant techniques. Although the prevalence of anti-Ku antibodies is not homogenous, depending on several features such as disease type, genetic and geographical clustering, and also method of detection, they could be found in 55% overlap PM/systemic sclerosis patients. Moreover, anti-Ku antibodies are not associated with a particular clinical outcome, and especially with cancer related to myositis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Nuclear / genetics
  • Antigens, Nuclear / immunology*
  • Antigens, Nuclear / metabolism
  • Autoantibodies / immunology
  • Autoantibodies / metabolism*
  • Autoimmune Diseases / diagnosis
  • Autoimmune Diseases / epidemiology
  • Autoimmune Diseases / genetics
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology*
  • Connective Tissue Diseases / diagnosis
  • Connective Tissue Diseases / epidemiology
  • Connective Tissue Diseases / genetics
  • Connective Tissue Diseases / immunology*
  • DNA-Activated Protein Kinase / metabolism
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / immunology*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Ku Autoantigen
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Prevalence
  • Racial Groups
  • Risk Factors

Substances

  • Antigens, Nuclear
  • Autoantibodies
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • DNA-Activated Protein Kinase
  • PRKDC protein, human
  • Xrcc6 protein, human
  • Ku Autoantigen