Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a relatively common autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of autoantibodies against nucleic acids and proteins that associate with them, such as the OR Show more
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a relatively common autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of autoantibodies against nucleic acids and proteins that associate with them, such as the ORF1p protein encoded by the long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1 or L1). Because well-known lupus autoantigens like RO60 associate with ORF1p in macromolecular assemblies, together with many other RNA-binding proteins, we tested whether these other proteins are also recognized by IgG autoantibodies in SLE patients. By ELISAs and immunoblots, we detected autoantibodies in the serum of SLE patients recognizing proteins encoded by Show less