title: Methods to detect antifibrillarin antibodies in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc): a comparison.
abstract: Autoantibodies against nucleolar antigens are common in systemic sclerosis (SSc). They include autoantibodies against fibrillarin (Fb), which are serological markers for SSc. Fb is associated with the evolutionally-conserved box C/D of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs). We compared indirect immunofluorescence (IIF), Western blot (WB), and immunoprecipitation (IPP) of total small RNAs assays to determine which of these techniques is most specific for the detection of snoRNPs. We also examined the frequency and specificity of autoantibodies from SSc patients to snoRNAs, snRNAs, and scRNAs, and concluded that 1) IIF can not determine autoantibody specificity against Fb, 2) 36% of SSc sera were false-negative by WB, and 3) by IPP, anti-Fb autoantibodies from SSc patients can bind U3, U8, U13, U15, and U22 snoRNAs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Centro de Biología Experimental, Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Guadalupe, Mexico.
authors.forename: Josefina Huerta
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Monica Delgado
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Osuna
authors.forename: Filiberto Martinez
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Castrejon
authors.forename: Laura Guzman
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Enriquez
authors.forename: Pedro A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.forename: J Jesus Cortes
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hermosillo
mesh_terms: D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000276:immunology*; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007159:Immunologic Tests; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D020537:RNA, Small Nucleolar / Q000032:analysis; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D020537:RNA, Small Nucleolar; C047458:fibrillarin