Symptom: Anticentromere Antibody

An anticentromere antibody is a protein in the blood that is produced by the body in response to a toxin or foreign substance (known as antigens) that has invaded the body. Antibodies are produced by the body in order to help fight off these foreign substsances and defend the body against illness. Anticentromere antibodies are typically produced in response to autoimmune disorders, particularly a condition called limited systemic scleroderma (once known as CREST syndrome.) A blood test is used to determine the presence of anticentromere antibodies and help diagnose limited systemic scleroderma, as the antibodies are present in about 60 percent of people with the disease.