Clinical Information

Testing for RNP antibodies is not useful in patients without demonstrable antinuclear antibodies. RNP is 1 of 4 autoantigens commonly referred to as extractable nuclear antigens (ENA). The other ENAs are SS-A/Ro, SS-B/La, and Sm. Each ENA is composed of 1 or more proteins associated with small nuclear RNA species (snRNP) ranging in size from 80 to approximately 350 nucleotides. Antibodies to ENAs are common in patients with connective tissue diseases (systemic rheumatic diseases) including LE, MCTD, Sjogren syndrome, scleroderma (systemic sclerosis), and polymyositis/dermatomyositis. A positive result for RNP antibodies is consistent with a connective tissue disease. Although strongly associated with connective tissue diseases, RNP antibodies are not considered a "marker" for any particular disease except in the following situation: when found in isolation (i.e., dsDNA antibodies and Sm antibodies are not detectable), a positive result for RNP antibodies is consistent with the diagnosis of mixed connective tissue disease.