Screening for antibodies against the Hu antigen is used to screen patients with possible paraneoplastic syndrome.
The Hu antigen is sometimes called HuD or ANNA-1 antigen (specific anti-neuronal nuclear antibodies 1). Hu antigen is present in all central and peripheral nervous system neurons and various tumors, mainly in the lung. Antibodies against the Hu antigen are in subacute paraneoplastic sensory neuropathy and paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis. In this group of patients, 83% also suffer from small cell lung cancer and sometimes other types of cancer (breast cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, malignant melanoma, ovarian cancer, testicular cancer, etc.). Small cell lung cancer is occasionally linked to Lambert-Eaton's myasthenic syndrome, which also has autoantibodies against calcium channels (VGCC). Patients with paraneoplastic syndrome often present with neurological symptoms before the onset of clinical manifestations due to the tumor.
In the treatment of paraneoplastic syndrome, it is crucial to find the underlying tumor and cure it. Immunotherapy treatment is generally more effective against autoantibodies directed against extracellular antigens than for autoantibodies against intracellular antigens.
See also: Anti-Neuronal Antibodies
