Autoantibodies against histones and actin in patients with rheumatic diseases assessed by the western blot method.

Using the Western blot method, the authors analyzed 85 sera obtained from patients with rheumatic diseases, focused on the presence of antihistones and antiactin autoantibodies. The authors detected a 32% incidence of the two investigated autoantibody specificities. In a group of 42 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in 22 sera (52%) positive antihistone antibodies were present, whereby autoantibodies anti-H1 and anti-H2B were most frequent.

Agranulocytosis in a patient with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

The authors describe a case of primary Sjögren's syndrome, which was complicated with severe autoimmune agranulocytosis quite sensitive to immunosuppressive therapy. Agranulocytosis is a very rare complication of this autoimmune rheumatic disease as opposed to leucopenia. A remarkable feature of the presented case is the fact that correct diagnosis of primary Sjögren's syndrome has not been settled for almost 25 years.

[Autoantibodies against histones and actin determined by western blotting in patients with rheumatic diseases].

Using the Western blot method, the authors analyzed 85 sera obtained from patients with rheumatic diseases, focused on the presence of antihistones and antiactin autoantibodies. The authors detected a 32% incidence of the two investigated autoantibody specificities. In a group of 42 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus in 22 sera (52%) positive antihistone antibodies were present, whereby autoantibodies anti-H1 and anti-H2B were most frequent.

Ultrastructural immunolocalization of cyclin/PCNA in synchronized 3T3 cells.

The immunolocalization of cyclin/PCNA in synchronized 3T3 cells was performed with human autoantibodies using an immunogold technique performed on thin cryosections. Previous immunofluorescent studies demonstrated that the DNA replication sites correspond to the localization of bound cyclin. We have found that in the early periods of S phase, the DNA replication sites (or sites potentially ready for the replication during the hydroxyurea DNA synthesis block) are situated in the perichromatin region and correspond to clustered gold particles present frequently over a morphologically distinct small nuclear area.

[Systemic rheumatic diseases and diabetes mellitus].

In a two-year retrospective study the incidence of diabetes was investigated in 481 patients with systemic rheumatic disease. The control group was formed by 120 patients with degenerative articular disease of the lower extremities. The authors found a significantly higher incidence of diabetes mellitus in both groups, as compared with the population of the Czech Socialist Republic, whereby in patients with systemic rheumatic disease probably the relatively frequent administration of glucocorticoids plays a part.