Antibodies against citrullinated alpha enolase peptides in primary Sjogren's syndrome

Citrullinated alpha enolase (CEP-1) has been designated as a major antigenic target of antibodies against citrullinated proteins (ACPA) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our aim is to determine the prevalence of anti-CEP-1 in a cohort of ACPA positive (ACPA +) primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) patients. Anti-CEP1 titers were determined by ELISA in sera from 15 ACPA + and 45 ACPA- age/sex matched pSS; 12 ACPA + RA patients and 30 healthy controls (HC). Increased anti-CEP-1 antibody titers were detected in nine out of the 15 (60%) ACPA + pSS patients and 5 out of 12 (41.7%) ACPA + RA patients; no reactivities were detected in ACPA- pSS patients and HC. Anti-CEP-1 antibodies in the setting of pSS were associated with higher urine pH levels at baseline. CEP-1 is a major antigenic target of ACPA in patients with pSS characterizing a subgroup with distinct laboratory features.