In 1969, two separate labs simultaneously identified antigens in the sera of SLE and SS patients. Clark et al. referred to the antigen as Ro – named after the patient from which the antibodies were extracted, while Alspaugh & Tanand used the term SSA. It was later found that the labs described the same antigen, hence the compound term for the antibody, Anti-SSA/Ro, Anti-Ro/SSA.
Antibodies specific to Ro52 are difficult to detect via laboratory testing. Their low detectability may be attributed to several factors: the antibodies are precipitin negative, lack antinuclear antibody (ANA) specific fluorescence staining patterns, and have a low signature in ELISA assays. Furthermore, Ro52 can be masked by Anti-Ro60 antibodies in lab tests that simultaneously assess the two antibodies.
Anti-Ro/SSA can target Ro52 and Ro60 proteins. Most Anti-Ro/SSA activity occurs on the cell surface, wherein Ro proteins are expressed on the cell membrane and extracellular Anti-Ro/SSAs bind to Ro. There is some evidence that the IgG isotype of anti-Ro/SSA antibody can enter the cell.
The mechanism that induces Anti-Ro/SSA production in autoimmune disorders remains under study. Some proposed factors that may stimulate production are viral infection, treatment of cells with TNF-α, cellular apoptosis, and exposure to UV irradiation.
The specific pathogenic role of the Ro antigen in autoimmune disorders remains unknown.
Ro52 has one primary epitope to which anti-Ro/SSA binds, independent of the autoimmune disease. The most common domain anti-Ro52 targets is the coiled coil (cc) domain, as well as the RING and B-box domains.
Ro52 may impact the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease: patients with SLE and SS have been shown to express high levels of Ro52 transcripts. Though Ro52 and Ro60 are often seen in elevated levels together in patients with autoimmune disease, Ro52 manifests without Ro60 in SS. Additionally, Anti-Ro52 antibody has been identified at elevated levels in patients with interstitial lung disease, as well as in autoimmune hepatitis type 1.
Ro60 is not part of the TRIM family. Ro60 is encoded by a gene 32 kb in length and acts to regulate the fate of misfolded RNA within the host cell. Ro60 forms a ribonucleoprotein complex with one molecule of noncoding Y1, Y3, Y4, or Y5RNA, all of which are approximately 100 nucleotides in length, to form the epitope that Anti-Ro60 recognizes. The absence of Ro60 results in an elevated immune response and decreased resilience to immune-related stress.
Anti-Ro/SSA antibodies are found in 40–90% of patients with systematic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The antibodies can be detected years before symptoms of SLE surface, making them an effective diagnostic tool.
The presence of Anti-SSA/Ro in pregnant women with SLE is associated with an increased risk of neonatal lupus erythematosus which can be accompanied by congenital heart block (CHB) in the fetus. SLE-related symptoms in infants that arise from Anti-Ro/SSA resolve in about six months as the mother's antibodies leave the baby's system. Mothers of babies with NLE most often do not show signs of autoimmune disease.
The role of Anti-SSA/Ro in NLE is remains under study, as recent studies have suggested that CHB in neonates is more generally linked to instances of autoimmunity in the mother rather than the presence of Anti-Ro/SSA antibody.
Franceschini, F.; Cavazzana, I. (2005). "Anti-Ro/SSA and La/SSB antibodies". Autoimmunity. 38 (1): 55–63. doi:10.1080/08916930400022954. PMID 15804706. S2CID 24327937. /wiki/Doi_(identifier)
Franceschini, F.; Cavazzana, I. (2005). "Anti-Ro/SSA and La/SSB antibodies". Autoimmunity. 38 (1): 55–63. doi:10.1080/08916930400022954. PMID 15804706. S2CID 24327937. /wiki/Doi_(identifier)
V Goëb; et al. (2007). "Clinical significance of autoantibodies recognizing Sjögren's syndrome A (SSA), SSB, calpastatin and alpha-fodrin in primary Sjögren's syndrome". Clin. Exp. Immunol. 148 (2): 281–7. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2249.2007.03337.x. PMC 1868868. PMID 17286756. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1868868
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Gleicher, Norbert; Elkayam, Uri (September 2013). "Preventing congenital neonatal heart block in offspring of mothers with anti-SSA/Ro and SSB/La antibodies: a review of published literature and registered clinical trials". Autoimmunity Reviews. 12 (11): 1039–1045. doi:10.1016/j.autrev.2013.04.006. ISSN 1873-0183. PMID 23684701. /wiki/Doi_(identifier)
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Gleicher, Norbert; Elkayam, Uri (September 2013). "Preventing congenital neonatal heart block in offspring of mothers with anti-SSA/Ro and SSB/La antibodies: a review of published literature and registered clinical trials". Autoimmunity Reviews. 12 (11): 1039–1045. doi:10.1016/j.autrev.2013.04.006. ISSN 1873-0183. PMID 23684701. /wiki/Doi_(identifier)
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Oke, Vilija; Wahren-Herlenius, Marie (2012-08-01). "The immunobiology of Ro52 (TRIM21) in autoimmunity: A critical review". Journal of Autoimmunity. Special Issue: Current pathogenetic, clinical and therapeutic aspects of Sjögren's syndrome. 39 (1): 77–82. doi:10.1016/j.jaut.2012.01.014. ISSN 0896-8411. PMID 22402340. /wiki/Doi_(identifier)
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
McMahon, Maureen; Kalunian, Kenneth (2005-01-01), Lotze, Michael T.; Thomson, Angus W. (eds.), "Chapter 17 - SLE-Associated Tests", Measuring Immunity, Academic Press, pp. 210–220, ISBN 978-0-12-455900-4, retrieved 2020-02-28 978-0-12-455900-4
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Rhodes, David A.; Isenberg, David A. (December 2017). "TRIM21 and the Function of Antibodies inside Cells". Trends in Immunology. 38 (12): 916–926. doi:10.1016/j.it.2017.07.005. ISSN 1471-4981. PMID 28807517. https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1571516/
Dutz, Jan P. (2013-01-01), Wallace, Daniel J.; Hahn, Bevra Hannahs (eds.), "Chapter 23 - Pathomechanisms of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus", Dubois' Lupus Erythematosus and Related Syndromes (Eighth Edition), W.B. Saunders, pp. 310–318, doi:10.1016/B978-1-4377-1893-5.00023-6, ISBN 978-1-4377-1893-5, retrieved 2020-02-28 978-1-4377-1893-5
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Dutz, Jan P. (2013-01-01), Wallace, Daniel J.; Hahn, Bevra Hannahs (eds.), "Chapter 23 - Pathomechanisms of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus", Dubois' Lupus Erythematosus and Related Syndromes (Eighth Edition), W.B. Saunders, pp. 310–318, doi:10.1016/B978-1-4377-1893-5.00023-6, ISBN 978-1-4377-1893-5, retrieved 2020-02-28 978-1-4377-1893-5
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Dutz, Jan P. (2013-01-01), Wallace, Daniel J.; Hahn, Bevra Hannahs (eds.), "Chapter 23 - Pathomechanisms of Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus", Dubois' Lupus Erythematosus and Related Syndromes (Eighth Edition), W.B. Saunders, pp. 310–318, doi:10.1016/B978-1-4377-1893-5.00023-6, ISBN 978-1-4377-1893-5, retrieved 2020-02-28 978-1-4377-1893-5
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Oke, Vilija; Wahren-Herlenius, Marie (2012-08-01). "The immunobiology of Ro52 (TRIM21) in autoimmunity: A critical review". Journal of Autoimmunity. Special Issue: Current pathogenetic, clinical and therapeutic aspects of Sjögren's syndrome. 39 (1): 77–82. doi:10.1016/j.jaut.2012.01.014. ISSN 0896-8411. PMID 22402340. /wiki/Doi_(identifier)
Rhodes, David A.; Isenberg, David A. (December 2017). "TRIM21 and the Function of Antibodies inside Cells". Trends in Immunology. 38 (12): 916–926. doi:10.1016/j.it.2017.07.005. ISSN 1471-4981. PMID 28807517. https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1571516/
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Oke, Vilija; Wahren-Herlenius, Marie (2012-08-01). "The immunobiology of Ro52 (TRIM21) in autoimmunity: A critical review". Journal of Autoimmunity. Special Issue: Current pathogenetic, clinical and therapeutic aspects of Sjögren's syndrome. 39 (1): 77–82. doi:10.1016/j.jaut.2012.01.014. ISSN 0896-8411. PMID 22402340. /wiki/Doi_(identifier)
Keogan, Mary; Kearns, Grainne; Jefferies, Caroline A. (2011-01-01), Lahita, Robert G. (ed.), "Chapter 15 - Extractable Nuclear Antigens and SLE: Specificity and Role in Disease Pathogenesis", Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Fifth Edition), Academic Press, pp. 259–274, ISBN 978-0-12-374994-9, retrieved 2020-02-28 978-0-12-374994-9
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Nair, Jisha J.; Singh, Tejas P. (2017-04-01). "Sjogren's syndrome: Review of the aetiology, Pathophysiology & Potential therapeutic interventions". Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dentistry. 9 (4): e584 – e589. doi:10.4317/jced.53605. ISSN 1989-5488. PMC 5410683. PMID 28469828. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5410683
Oke, Vilija; Wahren-Herlenius, Marie (2012-08-01). "The immunobiology of Ro52 (TRIM21) in autoimmunity: A critical review". Journal of Autoimmunity. Special Issue: Current pathogenetic, clinical and therapeutic aspects of Sjögren's syndrome. 39 (1): 77–82. doi:10.1016/j.jaut.2012.01.014. ISSN 0896-8411. PMID 22402340. /wiki/Doi_(identifier)
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Oke, Vilija; Wahren-Herlenius, Marie (2012-08-01). "The immunobiology of Ro52 (TRIM21) in autoimmunity: A critical review". Journal of Autoimmunity. Special Issue: Current pathogenetic, clinical and therapeutic aspects of Sjögren's syndrome. 39 (1): 77–82. doi:10.1016/j.jaut.2012.01.014. ISSN 0896-8411. PMID 22402340. /wiki/Doi_(identifier)
Oke, Vilija; Wahren-Herlenius, Marie (2012-08-01). "The immunobiology of Ro52 (TRIM21) in autoimmunity: A critical review". Journal of Autoimmunity. Special Issue: Current pathogenetic, clinical and therapeutic aspects of Sjögren's syndrome. 39 (1): 77–82. doi:10.1016/j.jaut.2012.01.014. ISSN 0896-8411. PMID 22402340. /wiki/Doi_(identifier)
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Reeves, Westley H.; Li, Yi; Zhuang, Haoyang (2015-01-01), Hochberg, Marc C.; Silman, Alan J.; Smolen, Josef S.; Weinblatt, Michael E. (eds.), "130 - Autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus", Rheumatology (Sixth Edition), Content Repository Only!, pp. 1074–1081, ISBN 978-0-323-09138-1, retrieved 2020-02-28 978-0-323-09138-1
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Keogan, Mary; Kearns, Grainne; Jefferies, Caroline A. (2011-01-01), Lahita, Robert G. (ed.), "Chapter 15 - Extractable Nuclear Antigens and SLE: Specificity and Role in Disease Pathogenesis", Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Fifth Edition), Academic Press, pp. 259–274, ISBN 978-0-12-374994-9, retrieved 2020-02-28 978-0-12-374994-9
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
James, William; Berger, Timothy; Elston, Dirk (2005). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology. (10th ed.). Saunders. Page 160. ISBN 0-7216-2921-0. /wiki/ISBN_(identifier)
Yoshimi, Ryusuke; Ueda, Atsuhisa; Ozato, Keiko; Ishigatsubo, Yoshiaki (2012). "Clinical and Pathological Roles of Ro/SSA Autoantibody System". Clinical and Developmental Immunology. 2012: 606195. doi:10.1155/2012/606195. ISSN 1740-2522. PMC 3523155. PMID 23304190. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3523155
Gleicher, Norbert; Elkayam, Uri (September 2013). "Preventing congenital neonatal heart block in offspring of mothers with anti-SSA/Ro and SSB/La antibodies: a review of published literature and registered clinical trials". Autoimmunity Reviews. 12 (11): 1039–1045. doi:10.1016/j.autrev.2013.04.006. ISSN 1873-0183. PMID 23684701. /wiki/Doi_(identifier)
Hervier, Baptiste; Rimbert, Marie; Colonna, Francoise; Hamidou, Mohammed A.; Audrain, Marie (2009-08-01). "Clinical significance of anti-Ro/SSA-52 kDa antibodies—a retrospective monocentric study". Rheumatology. 48 (8): 964–967. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kep145. ISSN 1462-0324. PMID 19531627. https://academic.oup.com/rheumatology/article/48/8/964/1787083