Detection of mitochondrial antibodies directed against the primary biliary cirrhosis (M2) antigen by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of 1 subtype of mitochondrial antibodies (AMA) specific for chronic cholestatic inflammatory liver diseases. AMA were detected by ELISA in 16 of 16 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and in 2 of 31 patients with chronic active hepatitis. These 18 positive sera were positive for AMA by indirect immunofluorescence (IF) and by radioimmunoassay (RIA). No AMA were detected by ELISA in 2 patients with the pseudolupus erythematosus syndrome, who were positive for AMA by IF, 2 patients with secondary syphilis, positive for cardiolipin antibodies, 1 patient with systemic lupus erythematosus, positive for AMA by I…