Autoantigen La/SSB is molecular target of humoral autoimmunity in patients with primary Sjogren's Syndrome (pSS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
It is proposed that during EBV infection, there are multiple copies of the EBERs available to bind to the La ribonucleoprotein and when infection occurs in subjects who have an impaired T cell-mediated response to EBV, and who are genetically predisposed to autoimmunity, there is loss of immunological tolerance to La with production of anti-La (SS-B).