The effect of polyamines on the binding of anti-DNA antibodies from patients with SLE and normal human subjects

• Published in: Clinical immunology (Orlando, Fla.) Fla.), 2014-07, Vol.153 (1), p.94-103
• Main Authors: Wang, Xiao, Stearns, Nancy A, Li, Xingfu, Pisetsky, David S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allergy and Immunology; Anti-DNA antibody; Antibodies, Antinuclear - immunology; Antibodies, Antinuclear - metabolism; Antibody Specificity - immunology; Antigen-Antibody Complex - immunology; Antigenicity; Case-Control Studies; DNA - immunology; DNA - metabolism; DNA, Bacterial - immunology; DNA, Bacterial - metabolism; Humans; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - immunology; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic - metabolism; Micrococcus luteus; Polyamines; Polyamines - pharmacology; Protein Binding - drug effects; SLE; Spermidine - pharmacology; Spermine
• ISSN: 1521-6616; 1521-7035
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2014.04.003

Abstract Antibodies to DNA (anti-DNA) are the serological hallmark of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). To elucidate specificity further, the effect of polyamines on the binding of anti-DNA antibodies from patients with lupus was tested by ELISA to calf thymus (CT) DNA; we also assessed the binding of plasmas of patients and normal human subjects (NHS) to Micrococcus luteus (MC) DNA. As these studies showed, spermine can dose-dependently inhibit SLE anti-DNA binding to CT DNA and can promote dissociation of preformed immune complexes. With MC DNA as antigen, spermine failed to inhibit the NHS anti-DNA binding. Studies using plasmas adsorbed to a CT DNA cellulose affinity indicated that SLE plasmas are mixtures of anti-DNA that differ in inhibition by spermine and binding to conserved and non-conserved determinants. Together, these studies demonstrate that spermine can influence the binding of anti-DNA autoantibodies and may contribute to the antigenicity of DNA.