Myositis and interstitial lung disease associated with autoantibody to a transfer RNA-related protein Wa

We describe 2 patients with myositis and interstitial lung disease with the autoantibody to Wa antigen, a 48-kDa transfer RNA-related protein. In cont rast to the previous description of anti-Wa antibody, our patients lacked s ystemic sclerosis-related features, but had clinical features consistent wi th those associated with antibodies to aminoacyl-transfer RNA synthetases. The difference in clinical presentation between our patients and patients w ith systemic sclerosis may be explained by recognition of different epitope s on the Wa antigen.