Nucleus-targeting autoantibodies
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About Antinuclear antibodies (ANA)
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About Antinuclear antibodies (ANA)
Overview and History
Antinuclear antibodies are a class of autoantibodies—immunoglobulins (commonly IgG, IgM, or IgA)—that recognize nuclear components such as double-stranded DNA, histones, ribonucleoproteins, and centromere proteins. Laboratory methods detect ANA by titer and by staining patterns (for example homogeneous, speckled, or nucleolar), which can suggest different nuclear targets.
First described in mid-20th century autoimmune research, ANA testing became a widespread tool for assessing broad immune reactivity. Biologically, these antibodies arise from B-cell responses against nuclear antigens and can form immune complexes or mark cells for immune recognition, making them useful indicators of systemic immune activity rather than direct measures of a single organ problem.
Interpreting Highs and Lows
Higher ANA titers or distinct staining patterns often indicate increased immune reactivity against nuclear components and can be associated with broader systemic immune activation or multi-system symptoms. The meaning of an elevated ANA depends on pattern, titer, and accompanying antibodies on the Immune Zoomer panel as well as clinical context.
Low or negative ANA results usually reflect little or no detectable nuclear-directed antibody activity at the time of testing; that can be a normal finding, reflect fluctuating or early-stage immune responses, or result from laboratory variability. Interpretation is most reliable when combined with other markers and clinical information from the full panel.
Featured Test
ANA is included in the Immune Zoomer to evaluate systemic immune activity across organ systems. It helps identify nuclear-directed antibody patterns and, together with other domain markers, supports clearer prioritization of follow-up testing and personalized care planning.
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Mary Beth Augustine
DCN, RDN, FAND- Lead Clinical Educator
Suzanne Barker
MS, RDN, LD, CTTS, CGP- Clinical Educator
Suzette Garcia
MSc- MHNE- Clinical Educator
Brooke Mader Ganev
MS, CNS, LDN, FDN- Clinical Educator
Adair Anderson
MS, RDN, LDN- Clinical Educator
Lillie Luu Nguyen
DCN, CNS, LDN- Clinical Educator
Jason Barker
ND- Clinical Educator
Emaline Brown
ND- Clinical Educator
Dana Filatova
DCN, CNS, LDN- Clinical Educator
Jessy Dhanjal
ND- Clinical Educator
Nour Amri
MS, LDN, CNS, CKNS- Clinical Educator
