Detection and identification of antinuclear autoantibodies in the serum of normal blood donors.

The occurrence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in the serum of 485 healthy volunteer blood donors was assessed. Sixty two sera displayed nuclear immunofluorescence staining on Hep-2 cells using a polyvalent anti-Ig conjugate. In general, the titer of these antibodies was low (42/62 sera displaying a titer lower than or equal to 1:80). In only 23 sera were the ANA of the IgG isotype, which is the more disease-related immunoglobulin class of autoantibodies. In order to define the frequency of antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens and dsDNA within this population, sera were further analyzed by counterimmunoelectrophoresis. Western blot and the Crithidia luciliae assay. One serum displayed weak antids DNA reactivity; another serum had anti-SSA/Ro activity. On Western blot several patterns were found. They could not be identified with any of the available reference antisera.