56
Molecular and Cell Biology of Autoantibodies and Autoimmunity
Further Characterization of the Anti-Wa Antibody to a tRNA-Related
Protein in Progressive Systemic Sclerosis
K. Miyachi1, T. Mimori2, S. Takano1, H. Yamagata3, Y. Matsuoka4,
S. Irimajiri4, K. Tani5, M. Akizuki2, and M. Homma2
'Autoimmune Disease Center, Health Sciences Research Institute, Yokohama, Japan
2 Department of Internal Medicine, Keio University, School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
3 Department of Internal Medicine, National Eastern Murayama Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
4Department of Internal Medicine, Kawasaki Municipal Hospital, Kawasaki, Japan
5 Department of Internal Medicine, Yokohama City University Hospital, Yokohama,
Japan
In 1985, Yamagata reported on a new antibody (anti-Wa Ab) to one of the
tRNA related proteins in a patient with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS). Since
then however further studies concerning this antibody have not been reported.
This present study identifies four other PSS patients with serum anti-Wa Ab. This
antibody was detected by double immunodiffusion using calf thymus extract and
human liver supernatant, but not by indirect immunofluorescence with mouse
kidney section of HEp II cells. When immunoblotting was conducted on the an-
tigen preparation following SDS-PAGE and electrophoretic transfer to nitrocel-
lulose membrane, a band appeared at the 45 kd position. In addition, the four
sera were found to precipitate 32P-labelled HeLa cell tRNA but not UsnRNA.
Clinical manifestations of 4 PSS patients with anti-Wa antibody
Hospital Kawasaki Municipal Hospital Yokohama City Univer-
sity Hospital
Patient
KT
MF
MM
YT
Age
49
64
64
47
Sex
f
f
f
f
Duration of Raynaud1 ph. (v)
7
19
3
2
Skin
sclero.
aero.
aero.
sclero.
Lung
—
fibrosis
lung cancer
-
Heart
—
cardiomegaly
—
cardiomegaly
Gastrointestinal
—
intestinal
dilatation
esophageal
hernia
—
Articular
finger
joint pain
—
—
—
Myalgia
+
—
—
—
sclero, sclerodactylia; aero, acrosclerosis
Molecular and Cell Biology of Autoantibodies and Autoimmunity
Further Characterization of the Anti-Wa Antibody to a tRNA-Related
Protein in Progressive Systemic Sclerosis
K. Miyachi1, T. Mimori2, S. Takano1, H. Yamagata3, Y. Matsuoka4,
S. Irimajiri4, K. Tani5, M. Akizuki2, and M. Homma2
'Autoimmune Disease Center, Health Sciences Research Institute, Yokohama, Japan
2 Department of Internal Medicine, Keio University, School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
3 Department of Internal Medicine, National Eastern Murayama Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
4Department of Internal Medicine, Kawasaki Municipal Hospital, Kawasaki, Japan
5 Department of Internal Medicine, Yokohama City University Hospital, Yokohama,
Japan
In 1985, Yamagata reported on a new antibody (anti-Wa Ab) to one of the
tRNA related proteins in a patient with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS). Since
then however further studies concerning this antibody have not been reported.
This present study identifies four other PSS patients with serum anti-Wa Ab. This
antibody was detected by double immunodiffusion using calf thymus extract and
human liver supernatant, but not by indirect immunofluorescence with mouse
kidney section of HEp II cells. When immunoblotting was conducted on the an-
tigen preparation following SDS-PAGE and electrophoretic transfer to nitrocel-
lulose membrane, a band appeared at the 45 kd position. In addition, the four
sera were found to precipitate 32P-labelled HeLa cell tRNA but not UsnRNA.
Clinical manifestations of 4 PSS patients with anti-Wa antibody
Hospital Kawasaki Municipal Hospital Yokohama City Univer-
sity Hospital
Patient
KT
MF
MM
YT
Age
49
64
64
47
Sex
f
f
f
f
Duration of Raynaud1 ph. (v)
7
19
3
2
Skin
sclero.
aero.
aero.
sclero.
Lung
—
fibrosis
lung cancer
-
Heart
—
cardiomegaly
—
cardiomegaly
Gastrointestinal
—
intestinal
dilatation
esophageal
hernia
—
Articular
finger
joint pain
—
—
—
Myalgia
+
—
—
—
sclero, sclerodactylia; aero, acrosclerosis