Expression in systemic lupus erythematosus of an idiotype common to DNA-binding and nonbinding monoclonal antibodies produced by normal human lymphoid cells.

Abstract

Rabbit antiserum raised against a normal-derived monoclonal anti-DNA antibody KIM 4.63 (IgM lambda)

Estrogen enhancement of anti–double‐stranded DNA antibody and immunoglobulin G production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

“…It is possible that in patients with active SLE, a considerable number of B cells may be induced to produce this antibody in vivo. Such induction may be due to B cell hyperactivation by polyclonal activators such as pathogens (30)(31)(32), or to clonally selective stimulation by self antigens such as nucleosomes (33)(34)(35), or to both (36,37). In contrast, such in vivo induction may be weak or may not occur in patients with inactive disease and normal donors, and thus they may have few or no anti-dsDNA-producing subsets.…”

Testosterone suppresses anti‐DNA antibody production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

“…Two major mechanisms have been proposed for such in vivo anti-DNA antibody induction. Polyclonal B cell activators, such as pathogens, may induce recurrent expression of germline V genes encoding anti-DNA antibodies (34)(35)(36), or self antigens, such as native DNA protein complexes, may selectively expand B cell clones, thus producing pathogenic autoantibodies (37)(38)(39). Although these 2 mechanisms, polyclonal activation and clonal selection, seem mutually exclusive, both may contribute to the anti-DNA antibody induction, and a combined model has been postulated (18,40).…”