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1: Science. 1997 Apr 25;276(5312):604-7.
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Identification of alpha-fodrin as a candidate autoantigen in primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Haneji N, Nakamura T, Takio K, Yanagi K, Higashiyama H, Saito I, Noji S, Sugino H, Hayashi Y.

Department of Pathology, Tokushima University School of Dentistry, 3 Kuramotocho, Tokushima 770, Japan.

It is unclear whether organ-specific autoantigens are critical for the development of primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). A 120-kilodalton organ-specific autoantigen was purified from salivary gland tissues of an NFS/sld mouse model of human SS. The amino-terminal residues were identical to those of the human cytoskeletal protein alpha-fodrin. The purified antigen induced proliferative T cell responses and production of interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma in vitro. Neonatal immunization with the 120-kilodalton antigen prevented the disease in mice. Sera from patients with SS reacted positively with purified antigen and recombinant human alpha-fodrin protein, whereas those from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis did not. Thus, the immune response to 120-kilodalton alpha-fodrin could be important in the initial development of primary SS.

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PMID: 9110981 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]