Antibody binding of macromolecular DNA and RNA in the plasma of SLE patients.

Plasmapheresis fluids from 20 patients with clinically active SLE, from three patients with Waldenstrom's disease, from three patients with rheumatoid arthritis, two patients with myasthenia gravis and other diseases including active systemic disorders were precipitated using polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG). By applying ethidium bromide staining, plasma nucleic acids (PNA) could be demonstrated in PEG-precipitates of SLE patients exclusively. Purified immunoglobulins of SLE plasma precipitates were shown to form antigen-antibody complexes with PNA as demonstrated by electronmicroscopy. Further characterization of PNA by agarose gel electrophoresis revealed a molecular weight up to 20 kbp. Cesium chloride buoyant density gradients showed non-homogeneous molecules, excluding pure microbial origin. In spite of RNase digestion, the PNA contained RNA with 30-70% riboguanosine as shown by nucleoside analysis. The high amount of guanosine-rich RNA was further supported by similarities between PNA and polyriboguanylic acid in hyperchrome shifting due to thermic denaturation. HPLC analysis showed a molecular weight of ribonucleic acids of more than 60 b thus excluding mere oligonucleotides. In contrast to B-type dsDNA, PNA from SLE patients were immunogenic. Antibodies against PNA could be induced in rabbits by subcutaneous injection. The antisera thus obtained showed crossreactivity with polyriboguanylic acid and dsDNA preparations.