A novel autoantibody reactive with a 48 kDa tRNA associated protein in patients with scleroderma.
We identify 4 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) possessing a previously undescribed serum anti-tRNA Ab (anti-Wa antibody). These sera yielded identical precipitin lines under double immunodiffusion using calf thymus extract and supernatant of pig spleen homogenate as antigen sources. Furthermore, all 4 sera were found to react with a 48 kDa protein using immunoblotting. This protein was subsequently found to be associated with tRNA when immunoprecipitation was conducted. In a survey of autoimmune patients' sera, anti-Wa Ab was observed in 3% (4 of 130) of patients with PSS, but not in other systemic rheumatic diseases. None of the 4 patients with PSS with anti-Wa Ab had myositis except that one patient complained of mild myalgia.
Miyachi
K
K
Autoimmune Disease Center, Health Sciences Research Institute, Yokohama Japan.
Takano
S
S
Mimori
T
T
Yamagata
H
H
Mita
S
S
Matsuoka
Y
Y
Irimajiri
S
S
Tani
K
K
Akizuki
M
M
Homma
M
M
D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D008875:Middle Aged; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; C069985:Wa antigen