To determine the antibody profiles in sera from patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA).
Immunoblotting using nuclear extracts and recombinant high-mobility group (HMG) nonhistone chromosomal proteins.
Antibodies directed against HMG-17 were found in 47% of antinuclear antibody (ANA)-positive patients with pauciarticular-onset JRA and in 16% of ANA-positive patients with polyarticular-onset JRA. HMG-17 values of 6% and 8%, respectively, were detected in ANA-negative patients with JRA and in those with nonrheumatic diseases.
There is evidence for a high prevalence of anti-HMG-17 antibodies in sera of patients with pauciarticular-onset JRA.