Development of the anti-Ro autoantibody response in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus

✍ Scribed by R. Hal Scofield; Fenchung Zhang; Biji T. Kurien; Camille J. Anderson; Morris Reichlin; John B. Harley; Haraldine A. Stafford

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 406 KB
• Volume: 39
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0004-3591
• DOI: 10.1002/art.1780391008

✦ Synopsis

To characterize the initial events in anti-Ro production by a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus, in whom this autoantibody is developing.

Methods. The immune response to the Ro ribonucleoprotein and other autoantigens were studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for IgG and IgM, by isoelectric focusing, and by inhibition studies to determine apparent avidity.

Results. The patient's sera showed an oligoclonal response to Ro that increased in complexity and affinity with time. IgM anti-Ro appeared shortly before IgG anti-Ro, and disappeared as IgG anti-Ro increased in titer and affinity. IgG antiribosomal P autoantibodies also appeared during the patient's course, but in contrast to anti-Ro, were not preceded by IgM antiribosomal P.

Conclusion. These data are consistent with the Ro autoantigen being presented and processed in a manner similar to heterologous antigen, and with differences in the mechanisms that lead to the production of IgG anti-Ro autoantibodies as opposed to antiribosomal P autoantibodies.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a clinically diverse illness that is characterized by the production of antibodies to self-antigens, including the Ro (or