Antibodies to hnRNPs in patients with a systemic rheumatic disease with no antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens or dsDNA

摘要

Sir, Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) have recently been described as targets of autoantibodies in systemic rheumatic diseases [1]. The combined presence of antibodies to hnRNP B1, hnRNP E1 and hnRNP F was strongly associated with CTD in general and SS in particular. HnRNPs are a family of ~30 proteins that associate with RNA polymerase II transcripts. They are involved in many cellular functions, such as mRNA trafficking, splicing, telomere length control, mRNA stability, transcription and polyadenylation [2].