This may be explained by the fact that patients with SSc in overlap were excluded from this analysis, and this antibody significantly associates with overlap syndrome.30 In contrast, frequencies of anti-Th/To, anti-U3 RNP and anti-RNAP were comparable with those previously reported in Japanese and non-Japanese patients with SSc.15,20,29–32 Thus, frequencies of each SSc-related ANA were generally comparable with those previously described for Japanese patients with SSc. Here, BTG3 is linked to systemic sclerosis.