Antinuclear autoantibodies in uveitis.

We have studied 44 sera of patients with uveitis, and controls for the presence of ANF and other antinuclear antibodies (ss-DNA, ds-DNA, Poly (I), Poly (G), RNP, Sm, histones) and for the presence of a common anti-DNA idiotype (16/6 Id) employing the ELISA method. Various incidences of antinuclear antibodies were found in sera of patients with uveitis. The uveitis specimens were found to have high titers of autoantibodies to ss-DNA, ds-DNA, Poly (I), histones and Poly (G). High titers of anti-Sm antibodies were detected only in 9% of the uveitis patients, which is markedly lower than the reported percentage of anti-Sm antibodies in SLE. No significant differences were found in the incidence of antinuclear antibodies between sera of patients with localized uveitis and uveitis concomitant with a systemic disorder. Similarly, no relationship was found between location of uveitis (anterior versus posterior) and autoantibody profile. Our results imply that despite considering uveitis as a specific organ malady, it should be regarded serologically as an autoimmune condition.