Protein array-based screening of autoantibody signatures

The evidence for an association between autoimmune diseases and chronic HCV infection has been clearly established. To this aim, a protein array was employed to analyze serum samples of HCV patients w/wo autoimmune complications, of patients with autoimmune hepatitis but not infected with HCV and of healthy donors as controls. A panel of autoantigens able to discriminate among the three groups of patients was identified for potential use as biomarkers.