The production of antibodies to DNA in normal mice following immunization with poly(ADP-ribose).

Monoclonal antibodies were prepared from C57/black mice which had been immunized with poly(ADP-ribose). As expected, some of these antibodies were very specific for poly(ADP-ribose) but, surprisingly, several bound to DNA as well. Analysis of the sera of these mice also showed elevated levels of antibodies to DNA. Monoclonal antibodies against poly(ADP-ribose) were also recovered from unimmunized NZB/W mice which provided an animal model for systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). These antibodies also cross-reacted with DNA. Comparison of the specificities of the monoclonal antibodies from the two groups of mice showed some striking similarities. In particular, three out of 11 antibodies from the C57/black mice preferred poly(dT) as judged by a solid phase radioimmunoassay. Similarly, 10 out of 17 antibodies from the NZB/W group showed the same type of specificity pattern. These results demonstrate that anti-DNA antibodies can be induced by poly(ADP-ribose) and that some of the autoimmune DNA-binding antibodies found in SLE may result from exposure to poly(ADP-ribose).