title: Differential immuno-reactivity to genomic DNA, RNA and mitochondrial DNA is associated with auto-immunity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Circulating auto-reactive antibodies are hallmark features of auto-immune diseases, however little is known with respect to the specificity of such bio-markers. In the present study, we investigated the specificity of anti-nucleic acid antibodies in the blood of subjects with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sera from 12 SLE cases and 8 controls were evaluated for immuno-reactivity to purified RNA, DNA and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) by enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  As expected, immuno-reactivity to total nucleic acids was significantly higher in subjects with SLE when compared to healthy controls, however a clear distinction was observed among the various nucleic acid sub-types, with sera from SLE subjects displaying the greatest immuno-reactivity to RNA followed by mtDNA and then total DNA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The identification of auto-reactive antibodies can serve as highly sensitive biomarkers, although their specificity may not always allow diagnostic certainty. The knowledge that auto-antibodies in subjects with SLE display differential immuno-reactivity may help to improve existing diagnostics and may lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of auto-immune disorders.
authors.affiliation: Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia.
authors.forename: Vilena V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Ivanova
authors.forename: Svetlana F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Khaiboullina
authors.forename: Ekaterina E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Cherenkova
authors.forename: Ekaterina V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Martynova
authors.forename: Tatiana A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Nevzorova
authors.forename: Michail A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kunst
authors.forename: Timur B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Sibgatullin
authors.forename: Adelia N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Maksudova
authors.forename: Paulo J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Vincent C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palotás
authors.forename: Albert A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Rizvanov
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004247:DNA / Q000276:immunology*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015894:Genome, Human / Q000276:immunology; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000276:immunology; D012313:RNA / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA