Anti-Gephyrin antibodies: A novel specificity in patients with systemic sclerosis and lower bowel dysfunction

ABSTRACT Objective Autoantibodies are clinically useful in phenotyping patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). GI function is regulated by the enteric nervous system (ENS) and commonly impaired in SSc suggesting that the SSc autoimmune response may target ENS antigens. We sought to identify novel anti-ENS autoantibodies with an aim to clinically phenotype SSc GI dysfunction. Methods Serum from a SSc patient with GI dysfunction but without defined SSc-associated autoantibodies was used for autoantibody discovery. Immunoprecipitations performed with murine myenteric plexus lysates were on-bead digested and autoantigens were identified by mass spectrometry. Prevalence and clinical features associated with novel autoantibodies were evaluated in a SSc cohort using regression analyses. Expression of gephyrin in human GI tract tissue was examined by immunohistochemistry. Results We identified gephyrin as a novel SSc autoantigen. Anti-gephyrin antibodies were present in 9% of SSc patients (16/188) and absent in healthy controls (0/46). Anti-gephyrin antibody-positive patients had higher constipation scores [1.00 vs. 0.50;p=0.02] and were more likely to have severe constipation and severe distention/bloating [46% vs. 15%;p=0.005; 54% vs. 25%;p=0.023, respectively]. Anti-gephyrin antibody levels were significantly higher among patients with severe constipation [0.04 vs. 0.00;p=0.001] and severe distention and bloating [0.03 vs. 0.004;p=0.010]. Severe constipation was associated with anti-gephyrin antibodies even in the adjusted model. Importantly, gephyrin was expressed in the ENS, which regulates gut motility. Conclusion Gephyrin is a novel ENS autoantigen that is expressed in human myenteric ganglia. Anti-gephyrin autoantibodies are associated with the presence and severity of constipation in SSc patients.