title: Anti-La antibodies.
abstract: Anti-La antibodies usually occur in sera with anti-Ro antibodies and represent important serologic markers of Sjögren's syndrome and neonatal lupus erythematosus. In addition to their diagnostic and prognostic significance, anti-La antibodies have proved valuable reagents for molecularly characterizing its antigenic target, which is a 47 kD ribonucleoprotein located in the nucleus and cytoplasm of mammalian cells. The isotype distribution and fine specificity of the anti-La response as well as its associations with HLA-DR and DQ loci suggest that these autoantibodies arise by a T cell-dependent, antigen-driven mechanism. Further insights into the mechanisms of anti-La production in humans may be gained by studying experimental animal models that develop these antibodies spontaneously or through induction by various immunization protocols.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: St Clair
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000737:chemistry; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007120:Immunochemistry; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D000097585:SS-B Antigen
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001324:Autoantigens; D006680:HLA Antigens; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D000097585:SS-B Antigen; C035357:SS-B antibodies