title: Clinical and pathological roles of Ro/SSA autoantibody system.
abstract: Anti-Ro/SSA antibodies are among the most frequently detected autoantibodies against extractable nuclear antigens and have been associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Although the presence of these autoantibodies is one of the criteria for the diagnosis and classification of SS, they are also sometimes seen in other systemic autoimmune diseases. In the last few decades, the knowledge of the prevalence of anti-Ro/SSA antibodies in various autoimmune diseases and symptoms has been expanded, and the clinical importance of these antibodies is increasing. Nonetheless, the pathological role of the antibodies is still poorly understood. In this paper, we summarize the milestones of the anti-Ro/SSA autoantibody system and provide new insights into the association between the autoantibodies and the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Yokohama 236-0004, Japan. yoshiryu@med.yokohama-cu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Ryusuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yoshimi
authors.forename: Atsuhisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozato
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishigatsubo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000276:immunology*; D000099207:SS-A Antigen
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D000099207:SS-A Antigen