Processing body autoantibodies reconsidered

Abstract

Processing bodies (P-bodies) are cellular structures that have critical roles in mRNA degradation and post-transcriptional gene silencing. Some patients with autoimmune disease have high titer antibodies directed against P-bodies, and certain sera have been used as markers for the GW182 component of these structures. This study shows that available reference sera are unreliable markers for GW182 because the sera contain antibodies directed against Ge-1, a second P-body autoantigen.