FREE AND LATENT ANTIBODIES TO DNA IN IMMUNOGLOBULIN PREPARATIONS FROMHEALTHY HUMANS

Immunoglobulin preparations from sera of healthy donors contained natu ral autoantibodies to DNA (AbD) (ca. 0.8% of the total Ig as detected by DNA-cellulose chromatography); appreciably larger amounts of AbD we re revealed upon ion exchange chromatography. All AbD readily reacted with native and denatured DNA, largely belonged to IgG, and were heter ogeneous in respect of elution from the affinity sorbent. It is suppos ed that in the serum of healthy persons the AbD may be present in free and latent states (i.e., in complexes with serum components). The pos sible mechanism and biological significance of this phenomenon are con sidered.