Mitochondrial (M2) Antibody

Overview:

The presence of mitochondrial antibodies can be used in conjunction with clinical findings and other laboratory tests to aid in the diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC).

The presence of immune complexes in the patient's sample may cause an increased level of nonspecific binding and produce false-positive results. Not all PBC patients are positive for mitochondrial antibodies. Results of this assay should be used in conjunction with clinical findings and other serologic tests.

Antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) have been reported in 90% to 96% of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. AMA are also occasionally found in sera of patients with other liver diseases, including chronic active hepatitis, cryptogenic cirrhosis, as well as in patients with clinical but no biochemical evidence of liver disease. The M2 antigen used is strongly associated with PBC, while other types (M1, M2, M5, and M6) are associated with a wide variety of conditions.