Progranulin autoantibodies in systemic sclerosis and autoimmune connective tissue disorders: A preliminary study.
Philipp KlemmGunter AssmannKlaus-Dieter PreussNatalie FadleEvi RegitzThierry MartinMichael PfreundschuhLorenz ThurnerPublished in: Immunity, inflammation and disease (2019)
Progranulin antibodies are frequently present in patients with systemic sclerosis and other autoimmune connective tissue disorders. Despite the lack of specificity for a given autoimmune disease, progranulin antibodies might not only indicate a potential subtype but also play a pathogenic role in patients with autoimmune connective disorders. Given the important role of TNF-α in inflammatory processes in autoimmune connective tissue disorders, progranulin antibodies might support the proinflammatory environment by neutralizing the TNF blocker progranulin.