Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome and Autoantibodies

Abstract

The presence of certain autoantibodies in the serum of patients facilitates the diagnosis of particular autoimmune diseases. Some antibodies may also be significant for the progno sis of the disease development and internal organs involvement. In the case of Sjögren’s syndrome, it is known that overactivity of B-lymphocytes leads to the production of a number of autoantibodies—both markers for pSS (such as antibodies to ribonucleopro- teins) and nonspecific antibodies (such as rheumatoid factor). The range of autoantibod ies found in pSS is constantly expanding, but their significance is not fully established. At present, only anti-SS-A antibodies are introduced to the criteria for the pSS diagnosis. However, this does not stop an interest in other autoantibodies and the significance of their presence for the course of this disease. This chapter outlines the autoantibodies found in pSS and discusses their importance in clinical practice.