A Bioinformatics Analysis Reveals Novel Pathogens as Molecular Mimicry Triggers of Systemic Sclerosis.

A recent bioinformatic analysis revealing dominant B cell epitopes of systemic sclerosis-specific autoantibodies, including anti-centromere B, anti-topoisomerase I and anti-fibrillarin, has demonstrated the existence of several in silico antigenic mimics of pathogens that could act as triggers of the respective dominant autoepitopes. Based on those findings, the aim of the present study was to use a more comprehensive bioinformatic analysis. We demonstrated the presence of a plethora of novel microbial mimics, unnoticed by the studies so far conducted, which share remarkable amino acid similarities with the respective autoantigenic epitopes.

Multiparametric autoantibody profiling of patients with systemic sclerosis in Greece.

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune rheumatic disease characterized by a wide range of disease-specific and disease-related autoantibodies (autoAbs). Profile assays have been developed and are currently in use to meet the demand for better characterization of all autoAbs found in SSc patients.

Aim: To assess the clinical relevance of SSc-related autoantibodies in 158 patients with SSc, all from Central Greece, taking advantage of a multiparametric SSc autoantibody line immunoassay.

Disease-related autoantibody profile in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Background: Autoantibodies (autoAbs) help in diagnosis and predicting clinical phenotypes in systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Aim Of The Study: To determine the clinical utility of 13 SSc-related autoAbs in SSc patients.

Material And Methods: A total of 131 consecutive patients with SSc (111 female, mean age 58.