No significant difference in circulating antiretinal antibodies between patients with retinitis pigmentosa and healthy individuals

A recent cross-sectional study found no significant difference in the prevalence of circulating antiretinal antibodies (ARAs) between patients diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and healthy individuals. The study examined ARAs against enolase, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), and carbonic anhydrase II (CAII) and observed a similar prevalence of these antibodies in both groups.

The research involved a group of 36 patients clinically diagnosed with RP and a control group comprising 39 healthy individuals. Serum autoantibodies against enolase, HSP70, and CAII were examined in all participants.

The study found that at least one ARA positivity was detected in 89% of participants in the RP group and 80% in the control group. The prevalence of anti-CAII and anti-enolase ARAs was found to be similar between patients and controls (P = 0.87 and P = 0.35, respectively). Although the presence of anti-HSP70 ARAs was more frequent in patients with RP compared to controls (53% vs. 36%), the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.29).

Among the eyes affected by RP, 25% presented with macular edema, often bilateral, and 33% exhibited epiretinal membrane and/or lamellar macular hole. However, the study found that none of the 3 ARAs examined were associated with an increased risk of macular complications in RP-affected eyes (all P > 0.05).

Reference
Bianco L, Arrigo A, Antropoli A, et al. Association of Circulating Antiretinal Antibodies With Clinical Outcomes in Retinitis Pigmentosa. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2023 Dec 1;64(15):13. doi: 10.1167/iovs.64.15.13. PMID: 38088826; PMCID: PMC10720755.