Quantitative radiommunoassay for DNA-binding antibodies

A radioimmunoassay (RIA) is described for the measurement of serum immunoglobulins capable of binding to double-standard or single-standard DNA. DNA attached to Sephadex G-50 by ultraviolet radiation was used as a solid- phase immunoabsorbent for DNA-binding proteins from serum. Goat anti-human (GAH) IgG (125I-labeled) were used to detect the human immunoglobulins bound onto the washed DNA-Sephadex. The quantities of immunoglobulins bound were determined by comparison with a standard curve constructed by dilution of a plasma from an systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patient containing known amounts of bound, DNA-specific IgM and IgG. Another RIA was employed for measuring levels of IgG and IgM. In combination with measurements of the total serum IgM and IgG, the RIA allowed for the determination of the fraction of the total serum IgM or IgG that was specific for double- or single-standard DNA. For a pool of normal human sera the quantities were as follows: 0.04% of the total IgM and 0.001% of the total IgG bound double-standard DNA; 0.22% of the total IgM and 0.05% of the total IgG bound single-stranded DNA. This capability is important because information regarding the quantitative measurement of antibodies to DNA and their class determination may be of significance in monitoring the status of subjects with SLE