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Gender and ethnicity differences in the prevalence of scleroderma-related autoantibodies

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Abstract

Autoantibodies to topoisomerase I (topo I), RNA polymerase III (RNAPIII), centromere, U3RNP/fibrillarin, Th, PM-Scl, and U1RNP found in scleroderma (SSc) are associated with unique clinical subsets. The effects of race and gender on autoantibody prevalence and clinical manifestations were examined. Autoantibodies in sera from 105 SSc (include 75 Caucasian, 24 African-American, 6 others; 89 females and 16 males) were analyzed by immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation. Clinical information was from database. SSc-related autoantibodies seldom coexist except for anti-topo I and anti-U1RNP. Anti-topo I (35% vs 15%), anti-U3RNP (30% vs 3%, p = 0.0005), and anti-U1RNP (30% vs 13%) were more common in African-Americans vs Caucasians. Anti-centromere (17%) and anti-PM-Scl (only in 8% of female) were found only in Caucasians. In race/gender combination, all three African-American males had anti-topo I (p = 0.04). Anti-U3RNP (35% vs 3%, p = 0.0005) and anti-U1RNP were common in African-American females. In African-American, all nucleolar dominant staining sera had anti-U3RNP; nuclear pattern was topo I (50%), U1RNP (19%), and RNAPIII (13%). In Caucasian, nucleolar was anti-Th (43%) and PM-Scl (29%); nuclear pattern was RNAPIII (29%), topo I (24%), and U1RNP (18%). Anti-topo I, anti-RNAPIII, and anti-U3RNP were associated with diffuse SSc while anti-centromere, anti-Th, and anti-U1 with limited disease. Proximal scleroderma was less common in African-American with anti-topo I (38% vs 91% in Caucasian, p = 0.04). The production of SSc-related autoantibodies is gender and race dependent, and this can be highly relevant in understanding their clinical significance.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Marlene Sarmiento, Annie Chan, and UF GCRC staff for assistance with clinical data collection. This study was supported by NIH grant R01-AR40391 and M01R00082 from the US Public Health Service and by generous gifts from Lupus Link, Inc. (Daytona Beach, FL, USA) and Mr. Lewis M. Schott to the University of Florida Center for Autoimmune Disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Florida, P.O. Box 100221, Gainesville, FL, 32610-0221, USA

    Malgorzata E. Krzyszczak, Yi Li, Steven J. Ross, Michael R. Bubb, Eric S. Sobel, Westley H. Reeves & Minoru Satoh

  2. Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610-0221, USA

    Steven J. Ross, Angela Ceribelli & Edward K. L. Chan

  3. Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

    Eric S. Sobel, Westley H. Reeves & Minoru Satoh

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  1. Malgorzata E. Krzyszczak
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  2. Yi Li
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  3. Steven J. Ross
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  4. Angela Ceribelli
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  5. Edward K. L. Chan
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  6. Michael R. Bubb
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  7. Eric S. Sobel
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  8. Westley H. Reeves
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  9. Minoru Satoh
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Correspondence to Minoru Satoh.

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Krzyszczak, M.E., Li, Y., Ross, S.J. et al. Gender and ethnicity differences in the prevalence of scleroderma-related autoantibodies. Clin Rheumatol 30, 1333–1339 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-011-1751-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10067-011-1751-0

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