Extractable nuclear antigen (ENA) is composed of at least two components, one a ribonucleo-protein sensitive to ribonuclease or heat and the other a protein. Antibodies to ENA are associated with a relatively benign clinical course in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in which DNA anti DNA complexes are thought pathogenic. The effect of ENA and anti-ENA on DNA anti-DNA reactions in vitro was studied. ENA effectively inhibited an anti-DNA hemagglutination reaction but no effect was found on binding of radioactive DNA or on the anti-hemocyanin hemagglutination reaction. The inhibitory effect was not abolished by yeast ribonuclease (RNase), heating, or DNase. Anti-ENA HAD NO EFFECT ON ANTI-DNA hemagglutination. In vivo, ENA altered the NZB/NZW mouse nephritis thought to be a model for human SLE nephritis. These results suggest the possiblity of a role for ENA in alteration of diseases due to pathogenic DNA anti-DNA complexes.
A D Morris, C Littleton, L C Corman, J Esterly, G C Sharp
The Editorial Board will only consider comments that are deemed relevant and of interest to readers. The Journal will not post data that have not been subjected to peer review; or a comment that is essentially a reiteration of another comment.