title: Antiubiquitin antibody in localised and systemic scleroderma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the presence of antiubiquitin antibody (AUbA) in localised scleroderma and systemic sclerosis, as it is frequently found in the sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and has also been shown to have a close relationship with antihistone antibodies that have an important role in scleroderma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum samples from patients with localised scleroderma (n = 48) and systemic sclerosis (n = 52) were examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Twenty samples from patients with SLE, 20 from patients with dermatomyositis, and 30 samples from healthy individuals were used as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  AUbA was demonstrated in 44% of patients with localised scleroderma and in 42% of those with systemic sclerosis. The presence of AUbA correlated with the presence of antihistone antibodies in both localised scleroderma and systemic sclerosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AUbA is frequently present in patients with localised scleroderma and systemic sclerosis. Induction of AUbA is closely associated with that of antihistone antibodies, suggesting that ubiquitinated histone may be the target in autoimmune responses of these disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ihn
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takehara
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003882:Dermatomyositis / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006657:Histones / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D014452:Ubiquitins / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D006657:Histones; D014452:Ubiquitins