INDUCTION OF EXPERIMENTAL SLE IN NAIVE MICE BY IMMUNIZATION WITH HUMAN POLYCLONAL ANTI-DNA ANTIBODY CARRYING THE 16 6 IDIOTYPE/

Recently, the induction of SLE in naive mice employing monoclonal anti -DNA antibodies (anti-DNA Ab) carrying the pathogenic idiotype 16/6 (1 6/6 Id) has been reported. In the current study we report on the induc tion of experimental SLE by polyclonal IgG anti-DNA Ab derived from a patient with active SLE and carrying the 16/6 Id. Two different experi ments were conducted in which BALB/c mice were immunized in the footpa ds with 1 mug/ml or 5 mug/ml of anti-DNA Ab. The first experiment show ed the appearence in the immunized mice of high titre anti-DNA Ab toge ther with antinuclear antibodies, alopecia and proteinuria. In the sec ond experiment we compared, as immunizing agents, 16/6 positive anti-D NA Ab and 16/6 negative anti-tetanus toxoid antibodies (anti-IT Ab) ob tained from the serum of the same patient. Our results show that only mice immunized with 16/6 positive antibodies produced anti-DNA Ab, whi le mice immunized with anti-TT Ab did not show any DNA-binding activit y but, surprisingly, developed high titre anti-cardiolipin antibodies.