[Autoantibodies against the Golgi apparatus].

Anti-Golgi autoantibodies were first reported 10 years ago. They are routinely detected by standard immunofluorescence whereas other methods such as immunoblotting or immunoelectron microscopy have provided some informations relating to the autoantigens that they recognize. From a clinical point of view, a distinction is appropriate between antibodies occurring at low titer in patients with some viral infections as well as in normal subjects, and antibodies of high titers found in association with autoimmune diseases such as Sjögren's syndrome or systemic lupus erythematosus. An associated liver dysfunction is also often noticed. Anti-Golgi autoantibodies are polyclonal and often mainly of the IgG isotype. In each case studied by immunoelectron microscopy, the recognized molecules were exclusively located on membranes of several cisternae. Although the real nature remains unknown, molecular weights of some autoantigens begin to be ascertained: bands of 230, 150 and 79 kDa have been revealed by different sera when tested by immunoblotting. Beside eventual implications in the field of pathogenesis, the study of this new kind of autoantibodies, based on the description of more sera and patients, might help to characterize some particular subsets of patients.