title: A novel autoantibody reactive with a 48 kDa tRNA associated protein in patients with scleroderma.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Autoimmune Disease Center, Health Sciences Research Institute, Yokohama Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyachi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mimori
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamagata
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mita
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Irimajiri
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akizuki
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Homma
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; C069985:Wa antigen