[Detection of circulating anticellular antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence on HEp-2 cell substrates: study of the clinical value of rare fluorescence patterns].

We detected anticellular antibodies (Ab) in 867 sera from patients with inflammatory rheumatic disorders by indirect immunofluorescence technique on HEp-2 cells and searched for clinically relevance of the rare fluorescence staining pattern (n = 133). We could find associations of 1. spekled nuclear pattern and Ab to U1-nRNP and La, 2. nucleolar pattern and scleroderma, 3. peripheral nuclear membrane pattern, Ab to dsDNA and SLE, 4. centromere staining and CRST syndrome, 5. intermediär filament pattern and permanent cellular destructions in erosive arthritis, 6. mitochondrial staining and inflammatory hepatic disorders. The anticellular Ab staining patterns on HEp-2 cells might be precious additionally markers for diagnosis and prognosis of inflammatory rheumatic diseases.