[Antinuclear antibodies detected in autoimmune diseases]

In 1948, Hargraves discovered LE cells in the bone marrow and peripheral blood of a patient with systemic lupus erythematodes (SLE). Since then, the usefulness of the cell in the diagnosis of SLE has not changed. LE factor, a component of LE cell, is an anti-nuclear antibody. To date, many kinds of anti-nuclear antibodies have been discovered. Among others anti-dsDNA, anti-Sm and anti-ribosome antibodies were detected at a high rate and/or specifically in SLE. Therefore, they are used as markers for SLE. Recently, the antigen corresponding to each auto-antibody and the gene coding for it were clarified. In this paper, we describe methods for detecting anti-nuclear antibodies and LE cells, the significance of each auto-antibody in the diagnosis of auto-immune diseases, especially SLE and the relation between autoantibodies and symptoms in patients with the antibodies.