title: Anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies in the healthy elderly: prevalence and characteristics.
abstract: Using Crithidia luciliae fluorescent assay a significant prevalence (7.6%; P less than 0.006) of anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies was found in a healthy old population. A negative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for anti-total histone antibodies excluded a false-positive reaction. Anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies in the aged differed from those found in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and were characterized by a low titer (95.6% of cases), belonging to the IgA class alone (95.6%), no complement-fixing ability (100%), and negativity to Farr assay (100%). It is concluded that, in elderly subjects without signs and symptoms of disease, including systemic lupus erythematosus, such a peculiar anti-double-stranded DNA antibody may be detected.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruffatti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calligaro
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Del Ross
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bertoli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doria
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Todesco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D004247:DNA / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D004247:DNA