Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for determination of anti-mitochondrial antibodies

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed for the detection of human auto antibodies to mitochondria (AMA). The ELISA was compared to the previous routine method – indirect immunofluorescence technique (IIF) – and optimized for the specific detection of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. Sera from 72 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, 10 sera positive for anti-cardiolipin antibodies from patients with syphilis, 9 patients with drug-induced pseudolupus erythematosus, 19 patients with non-alcoholic chronic active hepatitis, 14 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 100 healthy blood-donors were examined for AMA by both methods. The nosological sensitivity for the ELISA method was comparable to the IIF. The ELISA method was accurate, precise, inexpensive and well-suited as a diagnostic screening method for AMA when primary biliary cirrhosis is suspected. Furthermore, ELISA methods require less experience of the observer than IIF.