Incidence of Antibodies to Double‐Stranded RNA in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Related Diseases

Abstract

Sera from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and related diseases were examined for antibodies to double-stranded RNA (DSRNA) by precipitation, complement fixation and radioactive antigen binding. While only 6% of normals had antibodies to DSRNA, 51% of patients with SLE had these antibodies. A low incidence of these antibodies was seen in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, myasthenia gravis, thyroiditis, multiple myeloma, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's syndrome, drug-induced SLE and various forms of liver disease. These antibodies reacted to synthetic and naturally occurring DSRNA, but not to single-stranded RNA or DNA. As DSRNA is found in cells primarily during viral replication, these antibodies may represent a response to viral infection.

Filter radioimmunoassay for antibodies to reovirus rna in systemic lupus erythematosus

“…These patients were treated with a stable amount of rorticostcroid. By contrast, patients on increased corticosteroid or immunosuppressive dosage show a fall in binding of radioactive RNA or DNA as we reported previously (5).…”

Tubuloreticular structures and antinuclear antibodies in autoimmune and non‐autoimmune diseases

“…These observations do not conflict with others in the literature since TRS seems to occur only occasionally in rheumatoid arthritis (Gyorkey et al, 1969a;Helder et al, 1973), dermatomyositis (Norton et al, 1970), Sjogren's syndrome (Shearn et al, 1970) and Goodpasture's syndrome (Norton, 1969. ) The correlation we could demonstrate between TRS and ANA in autoimmune diseases is mainly determined by the high incidence of both phenomena in SLE, which syndrome is also characterised by a rather high frequency of antibodies to dsRNA (Schur et al, 1971). It is known that dsRNA is common 15 NT = serum not tested for ANA.…”

Antibodies to Viral and Synthetic Double‐Stranded RNA in Discoid Lupus Erythematosus

“…Recent serologic and electron microscopic observations have aroused interest in the role of latent viruses in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Serologic studies of patients with SLE have revealed elevated titers of antibody to viral antigens ( 1 , 2 ) and synthetic double-stranded R N A (polyinosinic.polycytidylic acid, rI&) (3,4), raising the possibility of immunologic reactivity to viral antigens. Electron microscopic studies have shown cytoplasmic virus-like particles in the involved…”