ASSAY FOR ADRENAL AUTOANTIGEN

摘要

Adrenal autoantigen is isolated and characterised as a protein obtainable from the microsome fraction of the adrenal gland, having a molecular weight of about 50,000 to 60,000 and antigenic towards adrenal autoantibody. The protein innative, recombinant or modified form as well as fragments thereof comprising an epitope for adrenal autoantibody are used in a method and kit for detecting adrenal autoantibodies. The protein is also useful as a medicament for treating Addisson's disease. Absorption studies show that the autoantigen is steroid 21-hydroxylase.