Antigen binding characteristics of antibodies against hydroxyl radical modified thymidine monophosphate

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed in living organisms during normal metabolic reactions as well as under different environmental stresses. In t his study, thymidine monophosphate (TMP) was exposed to hydroxyl radical (O H) and challenged in rabbits. TMP and OH-modified TMP were found to be noni mmunogenic. The TMP was linked to bovine serum albumin (BSA) by carbodiimid e reaction, and then modified with the OH. The neoantigens, TMP-BSA, and RO S-TMP-BSA conjugates induced highly specific antibodies against immunogens. Induced antibodies exhibited appreciable cross-reactivity with various pol ynucleotides and nucleic acids. In this respect, the induced antibodies res embled the diverse antigen-binding characteristics of naturally occurring s ystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) anti-DNA autoantibodies. (C) 2000 Elsevie r Science B.V. All rights reserved.