Ro/SS-A and La/SS-B Antibody Level Variation in Patients with Sjögren's Syndrome and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

• Published in: Journal of autoimmunity Vol. 11; no. 1; pp. 29 - 38
• Main Authors: Wahren, Marie, Tengnér, Pia, Gunnarsson, Iva, Lundberg, Ingrid, Hedfors, Eva, Ringertz, Nils R, Pettersson, Ingvar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Ltd 01-02-1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Analysis of Variance; Antibody Specificity; autoantibodies; Autoantibodies - drug effects; Autoantibodies - metabolism; Autoantigens - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Immunodominant Epitopes - immunology; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; La/SS-B; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - drug therapy; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - immunology; Male; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Middle Aged; Molecular Weight; Ribonucleoproteins - immunology; RNA, Small Cytoplasmic; Ro/SS-A; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; Sjogren's Syndrome - drug therapy; Sjogren's Syndrome - immunology; Sjögren's syndrome; SS-B Antigen; systemic lupus erythematosus; Ro/SS-A; systemic lupus erythematosus; La/SS-B; Sjögren's syndrome; autoantibodies; Human; Immunopathology; Connective tissue disease; Skin disease; Ribonucleoprotein; Stomatology; Antibody; Pathogenesis; Evolutivity; Autoantibody; Autoimmune disease; Sjögren syndrome; Antigen; Eye disease; Systemic disease; Lupus erythematosus; Disseminated; Recombinant protein
• ISSN: 0896-8411; 1095-9157
• DOI: 10.1006/jaut.1997.0173

To examine both possible correlations between anti-Ro/SS-A and anti-La/SS-B levels and their correlation with clinical disease activity in patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS) or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an ELISA was developed using purified recombinant Ro 60kDa, Ro 52kDa and La antigens. The ELISA was used for testing sequential serum samples from 16 patients with either SS or SLE. The patients were followed for periods between 15 and 128 months, and 3–15 serum samples per patient were analysed and compared with clinically apparent disease activity at the time of sampling in 14 patients.
A temporal correlation of antibody levels to Ro and La antigens was found, and antibodies to different epitopes of the Ro 60kDa protein showed parallel variation in seven of eight patients tested. Co-variation of autoantibody levels and disease activity was found in 11 of 14 patients. In seven of these 11 patients the anti-Ro and anti-La levels were stable and changes in disease activity were minimal during the observation period. In the other four of these 11, changes in disease activity were noted, with an associated change in autoantibody levels. The results suggest that the serological response to Ro and La antigens, as well as to different epitopes of the Ro 60kDa protein, is antigen driven and regulated by common mechanisms, and indicate a correlation of Ro and La antibodies with pathogenic events.