Antibodies to skeletal muscle demonstrated by immunofluorescence in experimental autoallergic myositis.

Immunization of inbred guinea-pigs with xenogeneic skeletal muscle can induce the development of a focal segmental myositis associated with the presence of a serum antibody which binds to the cross-striations of isogeneic or xenogeneic skeletal muscle as shown by indirect immunofluorescence. This antibody also produces striational staining of chick myoid cells. The association of striation-binding antibody with some forms of human and animal myositis is emphasized. It is concluded, however, that myositis is unlikely to be directly due to humoral antibody.