Analysis of systemic sclerosis in twins reveals low concordance for disease and high concordance for the presence of antinuclear antibodies - PubMed (original) (raw)

. 2003 Jul;48(7):1956-63.

doi: 10.1002/art.11173.

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Analysis of systemic sclerosis in twins reveals low concordance for disease and high concordance for the presence of antinuclear antibodies

Carol Feghali-Bostwick et al. Arthritis Rheum. 2003 Jul.

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Abstract

Objective: To examine concordance for systemic sclerosis (SSc) in monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins.

Methods: MZ and DZ twins were recruited nationwide. Zygosity was confirmed by DNA fingerprint analysis. The presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) was determined using indirect immunofluorescence with HEp-2 cells as substrate. Identification of SSc-associated serum autoantibodies was performed by immunoprecipitation and double immunodiffusion. Major histocompatibility complex class II alleles were identified by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.

Results: Concordance for SSc was found to be similar in MZ and DZ twins. Overall concordance for SSc was low in the twins (4.7%). Concordance for the presence of ANAs was significantly higher in MZ twins compared with DZ twins. SSc-associated serum autoantibodies occurred exclusively in patients with SSc. The distribution of SSc-associated serum autoantibodies was similar to that observed in our large database of SSc patients. Increased HLA allele sharing was detected in DZ twins, irrespective of disease concordance.

Conclusion: These results indicate that inherited genetic factors are not sufficient to explain the development of SSc. Rather, these data indicate that inheritance may play a role in the development of serum autoantibodies in the "healthy" twin sibling of an SSc patient.

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