The interaction between anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB autoantibodies and anti-infectious antibodies in a wide spectrum of auto-immune diseases: another angle of the autoimmune mosaic.

CONCLUSIONS: In a large cohort of patients with autoimmune diseases we found an association between anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB antibodies and 6 autoimmune diseases, amongst which primary APS and PM. Additionally, we observed linkages between these autoantibodies and anti-infectious antibodies directed at Epstein-Barr virus, toxoplasma and cytomegalovirus. Our findings support the concept of interplay between infectious agents and autoimmunity, such as the plausibility of an infectious agent that trigger the immune system to produce specific antibodies which will later result in a unique group of AID. PMID: 28770708 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology - Category: Rheumatology Tags: Clin Exp Rheumatol Source Type: research