ANTIBODIES AGAINST MALONDIALDEHYDE (MDA) IN MRL LPR/PR MICE - EVIDENCE FOR AN AUTOIMMUNE MECHANISM INVOLVING LIPID-PEROXIDATION/

Previous studies have shown that lipid peroxidative processes may play a role in disease pathogenesis in lupus-prone MRL/lpr mice. Studies w ere thus performed to determine if an immune response against malondia ldehyde (MDA), a highly reactive byproduct of lipid peroxidation, was present in these mice. By using MDA-modiiied mouse serum albumin (MSA) as antigens in ELISA, we found that these mice produce high levels of MDA-specific antibodies in the complement-fixing IgG(2a) and Ig(2b) s ubclasses. Anti-MDA antibodies were also found in MRL/+ mice but in si gnificantly lower levels. The specificity of these antibodies was veri fied by inhibition ELISA. MDA may contribute to disease pathogenesis i n these mice by altering the immunogenicity of self molecules, eliciti ng an immune response and forming immune complexes that may deposit in tissues. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited