[Significance of anti-nucleosome (anti-chromatin) auto-antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus].
Systemic lupus erythematosus is characterised by the presence of antinuclear autoantibodies (ANA). Native DNA, histone proteins and small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNP) are the main targets of these ANA-s, but some of them may derive against the entire chromatin, which is composed of the listed elements, and also against its fundamental unit, that is nucleosome. Authors investigated at the first time the frequency and the concentration of anti-nucleosome antibodies in a group of 107 consecutively selected Hungarian lupus patients. They calculated correlation between these parameters and the activity as well as organ--mainly kidney--manifestations of the disease. The frequencies of positive anti-nucleosome, anti-dsDNA and anti-histone antibodies were 39.2, 28.0 and 47.6%, respectively. All the three autoantibodies were present more frequently in cases with lupus nephritis, and this correlation was significant by statistical respect. Also a positive correlation was found between the concentration of these autoantibodies and activity of the diseases (SLE-DAI). Results suggest that long disease duration (mean 8.5 year) and consequently low disease activity (mean DAI: 3.28) may stand at the background of the relatively low occurrence of the measured ANA-s. Besides anti-dsDNA, the determination of anti-nucleosome and anti-histone antibodies can be useful in the diagnosis and monitoring of SLE. Authors discuss the possible role of anti-nucleosome autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis.
Kiss
E
E
Debreceni Egyetem, Orvos- és Egészségtudományi Centrum, III. Belgyógyászati Klinika. kiss@iiibel.dote.hu
Lakos
G
G
Németh
J
J
Sipka
S
S
Szegedi
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002843:Chromatin / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology*; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009707:Nucleosomes / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D002843:Chromatin; D009707:Nucleosomes