Objective. To study the prevalence and antigen specificity of antihistone antibodies (AHA) in localized scleroderma.Methods. Forty-nine serum samples from patients with localized scleroderma were examined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by immunoblotting.Results. By ELISA, AHA were demonstrated in 47% (23 of 49) of patients with localized scleroderma and in 87% (13 of 15) of patients with generalized morphea. Immunoblotting revealed that the predominant antigens were histones H1 and H3. The presence of AHA correlated with that of anti-single-stranded DNA antibody.Conclusion. Some of the major antigens for antinuclear antibodies in patients with localized scleroderma are histones.Localized scleroderma is a connective tissue disorder that is limited to the skin and the subcutaneous tissues underlying the cutaneous lesions. This disease differs from systemic sclerosis in that it is not accompanied by Raynaud's phenomenon, acrosclerosis, or involvement of the internal organs, and the From the

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Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) stimulates DNA synthesis in human foreskin fibroblasts after a prolonged lag period as compared with other growth factors. The mechanism of induction of DNA synthesis appears to be dependent on the synthesis and secretion of PDGF-related proteins as antibodies which are specific for PDGF can block the TGF-beta-induced DNA synthesis. Other growth factors such as PDGF, EGF, or FGF do not induce the synthesis of these PDGF-related proteins. Additionally, TGF-beta treatment of human foreskin fibroblasts induces the expression of the PDGF A-chain gene but not the B-chain gene. This phenomenon appears to function in vivo, as subcutaneous injection of TGF-beta in rat skin induces the expression of the PDGF A-chain gene. These data suggest that TGF-beta may stimulate the growth of fibroblastic cells via an autocrine production of PDGF-related proteins.

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