AbstractObjective. Evidence suggests that patients with in vivo speckled antinuclear antibody (ANA) patterns have high titers of circulating ANA, specifically anti–U1 RNP antibody. A small percentage of patients with high titers of anti–U1 RNP antibody have anti–nuclear matrix antibodies, and some also demonstrate in vivo ANA. This study was designed to screen for the presence of antinuclear matrix antibodies in patients with in vivo ANA.Methods. Anti–nuclear matrix antibodies were detected by indirect immunofluorescence on HCI‐extracted HEp‐2 cell substrate, by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and by immunoblot analysis.Results. All 10 patients with in vivo ANA were found to have anti–nuclear matrix antibody demonstrated using HCI‐extracted HEp‐2 cell substrate, and all exhibited antibody activity to a 36‐kd protein from nuclear matrix antigen.Conclusion. These results suggest that anti–nuclear matrix antibodies are a major factor in the dev
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