Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is a likely trigger of systemic sclerosis (SSc), but systemic antigen-specific antibody (Ab) responses in a well-defined cohort of SSc patients have not been thoroughly assessed. Line immunoassay and immunoblotting testing Abs against 15 Hp antigens were performed in 91 SSc patients and 59 demographically matched healthy controls (HCs). Results were validated in an independent cohort of 35 SSc patients. Anti-Hp positivity was detected in 67% SSc patients vs 76.3% HCs. Among anti-Hp (+) individuals, anti-p67-FSH was less frequent in SSc than HCs (p = 0.016), whereas reactivity to the remaining 14 Hp antigens did not differ between patients and HCs. Anti-p67 Abs were less frequent in diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc) compared with HCs (p = 0.018). Anti-p57 and anti-p33 Ab levels were lower in SSc vs HCs (p = 0.007 and p = 0.035, respectively). Anti-p57 and anti-p33 Ab levels were lower in limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) (p = 0.010) and dcSSc (p = 0.024), respectively, compared with HCs. Anti-p50 and anti-p17 Ab titers tended to be higher in dcSSc than in lcSSc. Sera from the independent SSc cohort showed comparable results. Anti-VacA Abs were more frequent in pulmonary arterial hypertension (p = 0.042), and anti-p30 Abs were more frequent in calcinosis (p = 0.007), whereas anti-VacA Ab levels were higher in lung fibrosis (p = 0.02). In conclusion, anti-Hp Abs are neither more frequent nor elevated in SSc compared with healthy population, the only exception being the higher frequency and levels of anti-VacA Abs in pulmonary hypertension and lung fibrosis, respectively. These results suggest that Hp is unlikely to be involved in the development of SSc.

中文翻译：

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全身性硬化症患者针对幽门螺杆菌的抗原特异性体液反应。

幽门螺杆菌（Hp）可能是系统性硬化症（SSc）的触发因素，但是尚未明确评估明确定义的SSc患者队列中的系统性抗原特异性抗体（Ab）反应。在91名SSc患者和59位人口统计学匹配的健康对照（HCs）中进行了针对15 Hp抗原的线免疫测定和免疫印迹测试。在35名SSc患者的独立队列中验证了结果。在67％的SSc患者和76.3％的HCs中检测到抗Hp阳性。在抗Hp（+）个体中，SSc中抗p67-FSH的频率低于HCs（p = 0.016），而患者和HCs对其余14 Hp抗原的反应性没有差异。与HCs相比，弥漫性皮肤SSc（dcSSc）中抗p67 Abs的频率较低（p = 0.018）。SSc中的抗p57和抗p33 Ab水平低于HCs（p = 0.007和p = 0.035，分别）。与HCs相比，有限的皮肤SSc（lcSSc）（p = 0.010）和dcSSc（p = 0.024）的抗p57和抗p33 Ab水平分别较低。dcSSc中的抗p50和抗p17 Ab滴度往往高于lcSSc。来自独立SSc队列的血清显示出可比的结果。抗VacA Ab在肺动脉高压中更为频繁（p = 0.042），抗p30 Abs在煅烧中更为频繁（p = 0.007），而在肺纤维化中抗VacA Ab水平更高（p = 0.02）。总之，与健康人群相比，SSc中的抗-Hp Abs既不频繁也不升高，唯一的例外是在肺动脉高压和肺纤维化中抗-VacA Abs的发生频率和水平较高。这些结果表明，Hp不太可能参与SSc的发展。与HCs相比，有限的皮肤SSc（lcSSc）（p = 0.010）和dcSSc（p = 0.024）的抗p57和抗p33 Ab水平较低。dcSSc中的抗p50和抗p17 Ab滴度往往高于lcSSc。来自独立SSc队列的血清显示出可比的结果。抗VacA Ab在肺动脉高压中更为频繁（p = 0.042），抗p30 Abs在煅烧中更为频繁（p = 0.007），而在肺纤维化中抗VacA Ab水平更高（p = 0.02）。总之，与健康人群相比，SSc中的抗-Hp Abs既不频繁也不升高，唯一的例外是在肺动脉高压和肺纤维化中抗-VacA Abs的发生频率和水平较高。这些结果表明，Hp不太可能参与SSc的发展。与HCs相比，有限的皮肤SSc（lcSSc）（p = 0.010）和dcSSc（p = 0.024）的抗p57和抗p33 Ab水平较低。dcSSc中的抗p50和抗p17 Ab滴度往往高于lcSSc。来自独立SSc队列的血清显示出可比的结果。抗VacA Ab在肺动脉高压中更为频繁（p = 0.042），抗p30 Abs在煅烧中更为频繁（p = 0.007），而在肺纤维化中抗VacA Ab水平更高（p = 0.02）。总之，与健康人群相比，SSc中的抗-Hp Abs既不频繁也不升高，唯一的例外是在肺动脉高压和肺纤维化中抗-VacA Abs的发生频率和水平较高。这些结果表明，Hp不太可能参与SSc的发展。