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The specificity of antiglobulin autoantibodies in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome

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Summary

Antiglobulin autoantibodies have already been demonstrated in the sera of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (primary SS). In our study, the specificity of primary SS antiglobulins for different regions IgG molecules was examined by employing both direct binding and competitive inhibition enzymelinked immunosorbent assay. We found that a considerable amount of total antiglobulins in primary SS was specific for the Fab portion, although the remainder was specific for the Fc portion, namely rheumatoid factor (RF). In contrast, most of the antiglobulins in RA were specific for the Fc portion of IgG. These results indicate that in primary SS, antiglobulins directed against epitopes different from those of RF are produced. These antiglobulins may prove to have a different role in primary SS than that ascribed to RF in RA.

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Wada, T., Ezaki, I., Shingu, M. et al. The specificity of antiglobulin autoantibodies in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome. Clin Rheumatol 9, 501–508 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02030512

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