Biomarkers and Autoantibodies of Interstitial Lung Disease with Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies

Various autoantibodies are seen in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Among myositis-specific antibodies, anti-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase and anti-melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) antibodies are associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD). Anti-MDA5 antibodies are associated with dermatomyositis (DM) or clinically amyopathic DM complicated with rapidly progressive ILD. In anti-MDA5-positive patients, a random ground-glass attenuation pattern is a characteristic finding of ILD in chest high-resolution computed tomography. Conversely, anti-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase antibodies are not associated with rapidly progressive ILD but with chronic ILD. DM or clinically amyopathic DM patients with anti-MDA5, and characteristic high-resolution computed tomography findings are highly likely to have devastating ILD and need aggressive treatment.