ANTIGEN ASSOCIATION OF TOTAL HEP-2 CELL EXTRACT IN THE SCREENING OF AUTOIMMUNE-DISEASES BY WESTERN-BLOT

Sera from patients with autoimmune diseases and healthy individuals we re comparatively analyzed by Western blot, using total extract from HE p-2 cells as antigen. Bands between 14 and 20 kDa were present in 99% of patients with autoimmune diseases and symptomatic seronegative pati ents, in contrast to only 4% of healthy controls. No bands were detect ed in the remaining 96% of healthy controls. We propose these antigens as pathologically important for the diagnostic screening of patients with suspected autoimmune disease. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.