Clinical significance of antibodies to native or denatured 60-kd or 52-kd Ro/SS-A proteins in Sjögren's syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical significance of antibodies to native or denatured (anti-n or anti-d) 60- or 52-kd Ro/SS-A proteins (60K or 52K) in Sjögren's syndrome (SS).


METHODS
The presence of antibodies to denatured and native Ro/SS-A proteins was determined by immunoblotting and immunoprecipitation, respectively. Salivary gland dysfunction was evaluated by salivary function scintigraphy.


RESULTS
The incidence of anti-d-60K without anti-d-52K was lower among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus with SS (SLE/SS) and among those with primary SS, compared with patients who had SLE without SS, whereas anti-d-52K without anti-d-60K was more common in SLE/SS patients and primary SS patients than in SLE patients without SS. All of the patients with anti-Ro/SS-A had anti-n-60K. Serologic abnormalities and salivary gland dysfunction were associated with anti-n-60K in SS, whereas Hashimoto's thyroiditis in SS was related to anti-d-60K. Anti-d-52K was not associated with any extraglandular or glandular symptoms in SS.


CONCLUSIONS
The data indicate that anti-n-60K, which appears to recognize conformational epitopes, is associated with clinical features of SS characterized by glandular dysfunction.
Tsuzaka
K
K
Fujii
T
T
Akizuki
M
M
Mimori
T
T
Tojo
T
T
Fujii
H
H
Tsukatani
Y
Y
Kubo
A
A
Homma
M
M
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D001324:Autoantigens / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D020733:RNA, Small Cytoplasmic; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000737:chemistry / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012859:Sjogren's Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; D000099207:SS-A Antigen
D001323:Autoantibodies; D001324:Autoantigens; D020733:RNA, Small Cytoplasmic; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; D000099207:SS-A Antigen; C116006:RO60 protein, human