DNA–ANTI-DNA Complexes account for part of the antihistone activity found in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

✍ Scribed by J. L. Subiza; A. Caturla; D. Pascual-Salcedo; M. J. Chamorro; E. Gazapo; M. A. Figueredo; E. G. de la Concha

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 681 KB
• Volume: 32
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0004-3591
• DOI: 10.1002/anr.1780320409

✦ Synopsis

We examined the effect of DNase treatment of sera with antihistone activity. In non-systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) sera, antihistone levels remained unmodified, but a significant decrease was observed in 7 of 11 SLE sera with anti-DNA antibodies. This was accompanied in some by an increase in anti-DNA levels. We therefore considered that DNA-anti-DNA complexes were being detected, as part of the antihistone activity in SLE patients, by binding of the complexes through their DNA to the histones used in the assay. This was confirmed by demonstrating that DNA-anti-DNA complexes formed in vitro, and by studies performed with monoclonal antibodies with affinity to double-stranded DNA and/or histones.

In recent years, substantial experimental and clinical data have been accumulated concerning the presence of antihistone antibodies in autoimmune diseases, both in humans (1) and in animal models (2). These autoantibodies, first described in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (3), are particularly common in patients with drug-induced lupus (4).