ANALYSIS AND SIGNIFICANCE OF ANTINUCLEAR ANTIBODIES IN DOGS

Assays for detecting and measuring antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in dog s were compared. They included the indirect immunofluorescence test, u sing rat liver as substrate, and ELISAs for three nuclear antigens: do uble-stranded DNA, single-stranded DNA and histone. There was no corre lation between the ANA titre and antibodies to the three nuclear antig ens. Analysis of ANA in different arthropathies showed no specific dis ease association. HEp-2 cells showed no fluorescence reaction with eit her ANA-positive or ANA-negative dog sera. Western blotting produced t oo complex a pattern to identify specific antigens. The antigens that reacted with ANA in dogs were not identified; there is either a broad range of reactivities or non-specific binding of immunoglobulins.