Autoantibodies to chromatin components in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To characterize autoantibodies to chromatin components in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA).


METHODS
The sera of 50 children with JRA were analyzed for antinuclear antibodies (ANA) by immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques.


RESULTS
By immunofluorescence, ANA and antibodies to high-mobility group proteins or to DNA-free histones were common in patients with pauciarticular JRA and rheumatoid factor-positive polyarticular JRA. However, reactivity with histone-DNA complexes was rare.


CONCLUSIONS
Because antihistone antibodies detected by ELISA failed to bind chromatin or other histone-DNA complexes, they are not likely to represent the immunofluorescent ANA activity in serum.
Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine, Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California.
R W
RW
Burlingame
R L
RL
Rubin
A M
AM
Rosenberg
D000293:Adolescent; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002843:Chromatin / Q000276:immunology*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006657:Histones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000097:blood
D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D002843:Chromatin; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006657:Histones