Quantitation and detection of isotypes of anti-SS-B antibodies by ELISA and Farr assays using affinity purified antigens. An approach to the investigation of Sjögren's syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Affinity purified SS-B was characterized as a protein with immunoreactive polypeptides of 40K and 29K. A modified Farr assay and an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were 100- to 1,000-fold more sensitive than immunodiffusion and showed an association with the systemic manifestations of primary sicca syndrome and Sjögren's syndrome with systemic lupus erythematosus. The ELISA was sufficiently sensitive to detect class specific antibodies in saliva and lymphocyte culture supernatants.