Virus antibody levels in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Antibody titers to a group of viral antigens have been determined in sera from patients with systemic lupus erythernatosus (SLE), control groups with inflammatory diseases and normals. Mean titers in SLE sera for all viruses tested were significantly greater than in four control groups, but not greater than in active tuberculosis, both by the complement-fixation (CF) and hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) methods. By the CF method, only measles virus showed significantly higher titers in SLE than in all control groups; by the HI method, measles antibody titers were higher in SLE than in all groups but tuberculosis. There was no correlation between antibody titers and gammaglobulin levels. The results indicated a moderate though variable overall hypereactivity in SLE to the viral antigens tested.Interest has grown recently in the possibility that the etiology of SLE is viral in nature. One reason for this interest has been the observation of cytoplasmic myxovirus-like tubular structures in the tissues of patients with SLE. These have been most commonly reported (1-5) in kidney biopsies of patients with lupus nephritis. The cytoplasmic structures described are simi-

Reactivities of systemic lupus erythematosus sera with cellular and virus antigen preparations

“…Considerable attention has been directed toward possible disorders of immunologic regulation and/ or atypical virus infection in the etiology of these antibodies (2). Identification of virus-associated microtubular structures in electron micrographs (3-5) and elevated antibody titers to a number of viruses (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12) have heightened interest in the virus hypothesis in SLE (l3, 14). In studies reported here, the finding of raised antibody titers to many virus antigen preparations in sera of SLE patients compared to sera of normal subjects, including virus workers, has been confirmed.…”

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

“…This would suggest that patients with SLE who are exposed to DSRNA, either endogenous or exogenous, may over-react and may develop higher titers of antibodies than do other individuals. Patients with SLE have been noted to develop higher titers of antiviral antibodies than do normal individuals (16,17). Electron microscopic examinations of renal biopsies from patients with SLE reveal many cytoplasmic inclusions in the endothelial cells that may be related to viral infections (18)(19)(20).…”

Immune function in systemic lupus erythematosus. Impairment of in vitro T-cell proliferation and in vivo antibody response to exogenous antigen.

“…SLE patients showed decreased levels ofantibodies to streptolysin 0 (26) and of natural antibodies to Escherichia coli and Shigella antigens (28). On the other hand, elevated SLE antibody responses were found against penicillin (29), blood group antigens (30), and a variety of viral antigens (31)(32)(33)(34)(35) (37). However, other studies have indicated that the helper T cell and the antigen-reactive, proliferating T cell might not be the same cell (39)(40)(41).…”