Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
12
pubmed:dateCreated
2001-12-12
pubmed:abstractText
The pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) involves complex interactions between activated fibroblasts eventually leading to fibrosis, and impaired immune tolerance characterized by a variety of circulating SSc-specific autoantibodies. The expression of autoantigens in fibroblasts, a key target tissue in SSc, may play an important role in this process. To obtain a global view of this process, we examined gene expression profiles of SSc dermal fibroblasts using cDNA microarrays. The results show that dermal fibroblasts from SSc patients obtained from either affected or unaffected skin displayed a characteristic pattern of increased SSc autoantigen gene expression compared with that from normal controls. In particular, fibrillarin (p = 0.028), centromeric protein B (p = 0.01), centromeric autoantigen P27 (p = 0.042), and RNA polymerase II (220 kDa; p = 0.02) were significantly overexpressed in SSc fibroblasts. Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed overexpression of these autoantigens and also revealed increased levels of DNA topoisomerase I transcripts in SSc fibroblasts compared with normal control fibroblasts (p = 0.0318). The polymyositis/scleroderma autoantigen gene was overexpressed in some SSc patients (p = 0.09). To examine the specificity of these overexpressed autoantigen genes for SSc and its tissue specificity for fibroblasts, cDNA microarrays of dermal fibroblasts from patients with eosinophilic fasciitis and scleromyxedema were studied as well as PBMC and muscle biopsies from SSc patients. None of these tissues showed significant alterations in gene expression of SSc-specific autoantigens. Therefore, SSc-associated autoantigen genes are selectively overexpressed in SSc dermal fibroblasts, a major tissue involved in disease pathogenesis.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
AIM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Dec
pubmed:issn
0022-1767
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
15
pubmed:volume
167
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
7126-33
pubmed:dateRevised
2008-11-21
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2001
pubmed:articleTitle
Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma): specific autoantigen genes are selectively overexpressed in scleroderma fibroblasts.
pubmed:affiliation
Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunogenetics and Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, USA. xiaodong.zhou@uth.tmc.edu
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Comparative Study, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't