title: Anti-agalactosyl immunoglobulin G antibodies in localized scleroderma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anti-agalactosyl immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies (anti-AG IgG) have been reported to be detected and correlated with disease activity in some collagen diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven serum samples from patients with localized scleroderma were examined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anti-AG IgG were positive in 19% of patients with localized scleroderma. The frequency of anti-AG IgG in generalized morphea was much higher than that in linear scleroderma or that in morphea. There was a significant correlation between anti-AG IgG levels and the number of the sclerotic lesions and between anti-AG IgG levels and the number of involved areas. The levels of anti-AG IgG were significantly higher in patients with antinuclear antibody, antisingle-stranded DNA antibody or rheumatoid factor than in those without.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anti-AG IgG can be an indicator of the severity of localized scleroderma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mimra
authors.forename: Hronobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ihn
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jinnin
authors.forename: Yoshihide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asano
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamane
authors.forename: Norihito
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yazawa
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tamaki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000097:blood*; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C064155:agalactosyl IGG; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor