title: Measurement of antigen-specific IgG autoantibody production in vitro.
abstract: This report describes the development of a direct, highly sensitive and reproducible microassay for measuring picogram amounts of IgG antibody produced in spleen cultures of NZB/NZW female mice and specific for a well defined nucleic acid antigen (native ssRNA). The spontaneously synthesized antibodies were extensively purified from the culture supernatants. The isolated IgG anti-RNA antibodies had a high affinity, limited heterogeneity, and were specific for RNA as compared with DNA. Spleen cell cultures produced quantities of anti-RNA antibodies sufficient to account for a large proportion of the circulating anti-RNA antibodies in the whole animal. However, our results provide no evidence for the recently published suggestion (Sawada) et al., 1977. J. Immunol. 119:355) that autoreactive lymphocytes are released from normal immunoregulatory control during in vitro culture conditions.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007163:Immunosorbent Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D008814:Mice, Inbred NZB; D012313:RNA / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012313:RNA