title: Antinuclear antibodies in children with localized scleroderma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and antigenic specificities of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in children with localized scleroderma.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ANA profiles of 27 children with localized scleroderma were determined. The study group comprised 21 children with linear scleroderma, 5 with morphea, and 1 with combined linear scleroderma and morphea. Sera were evaluated for the presence of ANA by indirect immunofluorescence and for reactivity with specific nuclear antigens by ELISA and immunoblotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen patients (63%) had positive tests for ANA. Of these sera 10 displayed a finely speckled pattern, 5 a combined nucleolar and finely speckled nuclear pattern, and 2 a nucleolar pattern only. Fourteen of 21 (67%) with linear scleroderma were ANA positive. Three of 5 patients with morphea (60%) had ANA. The 1 patient with both linear scleroderma and morphea was ANA negative. Fifteen sera (56%) contained antibodies to denatured DNA (dDNA). Eleven sera (41%) had antibodies to one or more high mobility group (HMG) proteins, 4 (15%) reacted with one or more histones and 1 serum (4%) reacted with topoisomerase I (Sc1-70).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ANA are present in most children with localized scleroderma and frequently have specificity for dDNA and HMG proteins. Children with localized scleroderma, like patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), commonly have ANA and antibodies to dDNA. Unlike patients with SSc, however, childhood localized scleroderma is uncommonly associated with antibodies to certain specific nuclear and nucleolar constituents that typically occur in association with SSc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uziel
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Krafchik
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hauta
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Prokopchuk
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Laxer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004247:DNA / Q000276:immunology; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D012698:Serologic Tests; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D015415:Biomarkers; D000939:Epitopes; D004247:DNA