title: Estimation of amounts of anti-La(SS-B) antibody directed against immunodominant epitopes of the La(SS-B) autoantigen.
abstract: The contribution of circulating anti-La(SS-B) antibody to the hypergammaglobulinaemia seen in primary Sjögren's syndrome is unknown. In this study levels of anti-La(SS-B) antibody directed against three immunodominant epitopes of the anti-La(SS-B) autoantigen were measured by ELISA in 84 anti-La(SS-B)+ sera using purified recombinant protein and antibody affinity-purified against the three anti-La(SS-B) fusion proteins. There was marked variation in the amounts of IgG anti-La(SS-B) antibody detected, with levels ranging from 0.02 mg/ml to 11 mg/ml. The anti-La(SS-B) levels were greater than 1 mg/ml in 61% of patients; in 18% of sera the anti-La(SS-B) level constituted 10% or more of the total serum IgG. However, other patients were seen with marked hypergammaglobulinaemia and low anti-La(SS-B) concentrations. These results support an antigen-driven mechanism for the anti-La(SS-B) response and suggest that anti-La(SS-B) antibody production is regulated independently of other immunoglobulins.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, South Australia.
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guidolin
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: McNeilage
mesh_terms: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D000939:Epitopes; D006801:Humans; D012015:Reference Standards; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D000097585:SS-B Antigen
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001324:Autoantigens; D000939:Epitopes; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D000097585:SS-B Antigen; C035357:SS-B antibodies