Screening and Preliminary Verification of a Phage Display Single-Chain Antibody Library Against Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis.

OBJECTIVES To construct a phage display human antibody library (PDHAL) against pneumoconiosis for the diagnosis and treatment of coal worker pneumoconiosis (CWP). METHODS The PDHAL was established via CWP blood and six positive antibodies were discovered. 867 coal workers (558 CWP and 309 without CWP) and 393 controls were recruited to validate the results. RESULTS A PDHAL against CWP was established, from which six strong positive clones were selected, sequenced and identified as VEGF, interleukin-18, HSP70, HER3, Gz-B and RF. Logistic regression analysis revealed that VEGF (OR (95% CI), 0.02 (0.01to 0.07), P CONCLUSION The serum VEGF, RF-Ab and HSP-70/HSP-70 antibodies were potential biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment of CWP.