[The value of using HEP/2 cells as compared to sections of rat liver in the detection of autoantibodies using indirect immunofluorescence in human pathology].

1,400 sera taken from patients suspected of having autoimmune diseases and sent to the laboratory for determination of antinuclear antibodies, are tested by comparative indirect immunofluorescence on 2 subtrata; rat liver section and HEP/2 cells. The 143 positive sera on rat liver sections are also positive on HEP-2. In the 1,010 sera which are negative on rat liver sections, 165 are positive on HEP-2, 113 give a nuclear fluorescence, 26 give a cytoplasmic fluorescence and 26 give a nuclear and cytoplasmic fluorescence. Three positive sera were also used in immunofluorescence on another cells: VERO and MRC 5, as well as dual immunodiffusion versus thymic and splenic cell extracts and 76 p. cent of these sera were found positive with these techniques. This confirms the advantage of the use of HEP/2 cells in demonstrating autoantibodies, especially when they are not detected on rat liver sections, like the anticentromer antibodies. This substratum offers the advantage of detecting not only antibodies directed against nuclear antigens, but also those directed against cytoplasmic antigens.