Marco W.J. Schreurs, PhD
Laboratory specialist Medical Immunology,
Laboratory Medical Immunology, Department of Immunology
Autoimmune Disease Diagnostics (AID) Research interest
Autoimmune Disease and Allergy Diagnostics (AID) research laboratory
Research activities in the AID group focus on biomarkers in autoimmune-, inflammatory- and allergic disease, in particular (auto)antibodies directed at self antigens and allergen components.
State-of-the-art laboratory technology is available in the AID group for the analysis of (auto)antibodies and other biomarkers in blood, CSF and other body fluids. Technology includes (indirect) immunofluorescence, immunoblotting, ELISA- and FEIA-based techniques, radio-immuno assay (RIA) and micro-array. In collaboration with different clinical and basic research partners, this technology is used to support different research projects in autoimmune-, inflammatory- and allergic disease.
Fig.1 Recoverin-specific anti-retinal autoantibodies in serum of an autoimmune retinopathy patient detected by indirect immunofluorecence (left) and immunoblot (right).
The quality of available (auto)antibody detection systems is improved, often in collaboration with the IVD industry, and novel techniques are developed and validated for clinical and research application. Besides investigating the role of known (auto)antibodies, the AID group also sets out to identify novel (auto)antibodies and other biomarkers in autoimmune-, inflammatory- and allergic disease. Investigating the role of (novel) biomarkers in disease processes may result in improved diagnostic and prognostic classification, and improved treatment stratification of such diseases.
Fig. 2 Quality of anti-Sm autoantibody detection in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients (left) and Sjögren/systemic sclerosis (SjS/SSc) patients (right), analyzed using two different FEIA test systems.
The AID group is also involved in the development and application of companion diagnostics for biologic therapy: therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). The value of TDM for different biologic therapies is investigated in both adult and pediatric patients with autoimmune-/inflammatory disease and cancer, to elucidate the relation between biologic blood levels and different clinical parameters.
The AID group is currently working on/contributing to different research projects, including:
- Pathogenesis, prognostic factors and novel therapeutic options of scleritis
- Neurologic syndromes associated with GAD65 antibodies. Clinical and serological response to treatment
- Clinical validation of an improved FEIA for the detection of Sm antibodies
- Personalized immunotherapy therapeutic drug monitoring of Nivolumab
The research projects the AID group participates in are translational in nature and are organized multidisciplinary. As a result, extensive internal collaboration exits with different clinical departments, including Ophthalmology, Neurology, Clinical Immunology and Allergology, Medical Oncology, Pharmacy, Pediatric Allergology and Pathology.
The AID group is part of international networks with research activities contributing to the improvement and standardization of laboratory technology for the analysis of (auto)antibodies. These networks include the European Autoimmunity Standardization Initiative (EASI) and the European Consensus Finding Study Group (ECFSG).
Group members
- Marco W.J. Schreurs, PhD, Principal investigator
- Adriaan A. van Beek, PhD, a.vanbeek@erasmusmc.nl
- Daphne P.C. Vergouwen, MD, d.vergouwen@erasmusmc.nl
- Sanae Boukhrissi, technician, s.smaili@erasmusmc.nl
- Cindy Kneppers, technician, c.kneppers@erasmusmc.nl
- Jac Kuijpers-Entrup, technician, j.kuypers@erasmusmc.nl
- Zenovia Lourens-Florencia, technician, z.florencia@erasmusmc.nl
- Kimberly Scheurwater, technician, k.scheurwater@erasmusmc.nl
- Elham Torabi-Azhandeh, technician, e.torabi@erasmusmc.nl
- Pamela Vasic, technician, p.vasic@erasmusmc.nl
- Jacolien Vermeer, technician, j.vermeer.1@erasmusmc.nl
- Annemarie Wijkhuijs, technician, j.wijkhuijs@erasmusmc.nl
Selected Publications
(Check for all publications: Schreurs MW in Pubmed)
-Taams NE, Notermans NC, Fokkink WR, Tio-Gillen AP, Huizinga R, Schreurs MW, Jacobs BC. Clinical relevance of serum antibodies to GD1b in immune-mediated neuropathies. J Peripher Nerv Syst. 2018 Dec;23(4):227-234.
-Ten Berge JC, Schreurs MW, van Rosmalen J, Rothova A. Autoantibody profiling in intraocular fluid of patients with uveitis. Exp Eye Res. 2018 Nov;176:141-146.
-La Distia Nora R, Ten Berge JC, Rothova A, Schreurs MW. Antinuclear and antiretinal antibodies in uveitis associated with active and latent tuberculosis. Acta Ophthalmol. 2018 Aug;96(5):e659-e660.
-Basak EA, Wijkhuijs AJM, Mathijssen RHJ, Koolen SLW, Schreurs MW. Development of an Enzyme-Linked Immune Sorbent Assay to Measure Nivolumab and Pembrolizumab Serum Concentrations. Ther Drug Monit. 2018 Oct;40(5):596-601.
-Ten Berge JC, Groen-Hakan F, Rothova A, Schreurs MW. Antinuclear antibody profiling in uveitis. Acta Ophthalmol. 2018 Aug;96(5):e660-e661.
-Falkenburg WJJ, von Richthofen HJ, Koers J, Weykamp C, Schreurs MW, Bakker-Jonges LE, Haagen IA, Lems WF, Hamann D, van Schaardenburg D, Rispens T. Clinically relevant discrepancies between different rheumatoid factor assays. Clin Chem Lab Med. 2018 Sep 25;56(10):1749-1758.
van der Pol P, Bakker-Jonges LE, Kuijpers JHSAM, Schreurs MW. Analytical and clinical comparison of two fully automated immunoassay systems for the detection of autoantibodies to extractable nuclear antigens. Clin Chim Acta. 2018 Jan;476:154-159.
-van Bezooijen JS, Schreurs MW, Koch BCP, Velthuis HT, van Doorn MBA, Prens EP, van Gelder T. Intrapatient Variability in the Pharmacokinetics of Etanercept Maintenance Treatment. Ther Drug Monit. 2017 Aug;39(4):333-338.
-Ten Berge JC, van Rosmalen J, Vermeer J, Hellström C, Lindskog C, Nilsson P, Qundos U, Rothova A, Schreurs MW. Serum Autoantibody Profiling of Patients with Paraneoplastic and Non-Paraneoplastic Autoimmune Retinopathy. PLoS One. 2016 Dec 8;11(12):e0167909.
-van Coevorden-Hameete MH, Titulaer MJ, Schreurs MW, de Graaff E, Sillevis Smitt PA, Hoogenraad CC. Detection and Characterization of Autoantibodies to Neuronal Cell-Surface Antigens in the Central Nervous System. Front Mol Neurosci. 2016 May 31;9:37.
-van der Valk JPM, Schreurs MW, El Bouch R, Arends NJT, de Jong NW. Mono-sensitisation to peanut component Ara h 6: a case series of five children and literature review. Eur J Pediatr. 2016 Sep;175(9):1227-1234.
van Bezooijen JS, Koch BC, van Doorn MB, Prens EP, van Gelder T, Schreurs MW. Comparison of Three Assays to Quantify Infliximab, Adalimumab, and Etanercept Serum Concentrations. Ther Drug Monit. 2016 Aug;38(4):432-8.
-Hoorn EJ, Taams NE, Hurskainen T, Salih M, Weening JJ, Jonkman MF, Pas HH, Schreurs MW. Bullous Pemphigoid With a Dual Pattern of Glomerular Immune Complex Disease. Am J Kidney Dis. 2016 Feb;67(2):302-6.
-Ten Berge JC, Schreurs MW, Vermeer J, Meester-Smoor MA, Rothova A. Prevalence and clinical impact of antiretinal antibodies in uveitis. Acta Ophthalmol. 2016 May;94(3):282-8.
-van Sonderen A, Schreurs MW, de Bruijn MA, Boukhrissi S, Nagtzaam MM, Hulsenboom ES, Enting RH, Thijs RD, Wirtz PW, Sillevis Smitt PA, Titulaer MJ. The relevance of VGKC positivity in the absence of LGI1 and Caspr2 antibodies. Neurology. 2016 May 3;86(18):1692-9.
-Dirckx M, Schreurs MW, de Mos M, Stronks DL, Huygen FJ. The prevalence of autoantibodies in complex regional pain syndrome type I. Mediators Inflamm. 2015;2015:718201.