Subcellular redistribution of La/SSB autoantigen during physiologic apoptosis in the fetal mouse heart and conduction system

Abstract

These data provide the first in vivo demonstration of the subcellular translocation of La autoantigen during apoptosis in the fetal heart and the conduction system under physiologic conditions. This observation supports the hypothesis that subcellular redistribution of La in the normally developing heart facilitates the binding of cognate maternal antibodies and subsequent tissue damage.