title: Anti-dsDNA Antibodies are one of the many autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: Anti-dsDNA antibodies are the most studied antibodies of the lupus-related autoantibodies. The dogma is that these are the most important autoantibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus. In this review, evidence is presented to show that these antibodies (as measured by modern clinical laboratories) are not the most important autoantibodies in the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, and are of limited value in clinical correlation and in predicting disease flares. In addition, they are not likely to be the initiating autoantibodies in lupus nephritis. Thus, several pervasively held beliefs on anti-dsDNA antibodies are not valid. We suggest that anti-dsDNA antibodies should be considered as just one of the many autoantibodies associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, University of Virginia, Box 800133, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0133, USA ; Center for Immunity, Inflammation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Box 800133, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0133, USA ; Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.
authors.forename: Shu Man
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, University of Virginia, Box 800133, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0133, USA ; Center for Immunity, Inflammation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Box 800133, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0133, USA.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, University of Virginia, Box 800133, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0133, USA ; Center for Immunity, Inflammation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Box 800133, Charlottesville, VA, 22908-0133, USA.
authors.forename: Zhenhuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.
authors.forename: Felicia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gaskin
keywords: Systemic lupus erythematosus; anti-dsDNA antibodies; autoantibodies; lupus nephritis