Progranulin autoantibodies in systemic sclerosis and autoimmune connective tissue disorders: A preliminary study

Philipp Klemm, Gunter Assmann, Klaus‐Dieter Preuss, Natalie Fadle, Evi Regitz, Thierry Martin, Michael Pfreundschuh, Lorenz Thurner

Version of Record online: 10 September 2019

 

We first report progranulin autoantibodies, that have a pathological role, in systemic sclerosis and other autoimmune connective tissue disorders. Progranulin antibodies decrease progranulin levels, a physiological tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonist, and thus enhance an inflammatory environment.