FATE OF HUMAN-IGG FROM LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS ANTINUCLEAR ANTIBODY-POSITIVE SERA PASSIVELY TRANSFERRED TO MICE

An animal model to study the fate of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in v ivo is reported. Newborn Balb/c mice were passively transferred by inj ection with sera from patients with autoimmune disease. The following antinuclear antibodies were found in the liver, spleen, kidneys and sk in shortly after the injection: anti-dsDNA, nRNP, Ro/SSA and La/SSB. C learance of all these antibodies occurred within 48 hours. The cytoske leton, Fc immunoglobulin domain and Fc immunoglobulin-cell surface int eraction may play a major role in the entry of antinuclear antibodies into cells, which may occur via endocytosis. Our animal model may be u seful for studying the kinetics of binding of antinuclear antibodies t o nuclear components and the effects of such binding in vivo.