The present invention provides polypeptides composing epitopes of human centromere protein B, genes encoding therefor, plasmids or phages containing the genes, transformants obtained by introducing the plasmids or phages containing the genes, a method for producing the human centromere antigen polypeptide using the transformant, and a method for detecting anti-centromere antibody using the human centromere antigen polypeptide. Analysis of the above-mentioned epitope was accomplished using CENP-B gene obtained from a cDNA library prepared using mRNAs isolated from Jurkat cells. The present invention allows the production of the human centromere protein B epitope region in a large quantity, which in turn allows the detection of human anti-centromere antibody readily and precisely using the peptide obtained. Furthermore, it becomes possible to make a precise classification of the disease type of a patient having human anti-centromere antibody by determinations using each of the epitopes.
展开▼
