[Antibodies to specific nuclear antigens in patients with Yusho].

To investigate chronic immune effects of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF), autoantibodies including anti-Smith (Sm) antibody, anti-ribonucleoprotein (RNP) antibody, anti-centromere antibody and anti-double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) antibody, were studied in 168 patients with Yusho and 54 controls in 2012. Autoatibodies were present in some patients of Yusho; 1 case (0.6%) for anti-Sm antibody, 4 cases (2.4%) for anti-centromere antibody and 11 cases (6.5%) for anti-dsDNA antibody. However, these autoantibodies were not demonstrated in any controls. There was a significantly higher prevalence of elevated anti-centromere antibody in subjects with high PCB concentration than in those with low PCB concentration. We conclude that anti-centromere antibody is present in patients with Yusho, and it may be associated with blood PCB concentration.