Screening for antibodies against the PL-12 antigen is performed in the investigation of patients with possible polymyositis, dermatomyositis, and overlap syndrome.
PL-12 antibodies can be detected in < 5% of patients with inflammatory myositis (polymyositis/dermatomyositis). PL-12 antibodies are often associated (90%) with the interstitial pulmonary disease that may occur with or without myositis. The PL-12 antigen corresponds to the alanyl tRNA-synthase enzyme.
