Methodological update detection of antibodies to dsDNA: current insights into its relevance

Ever since its first discovery in 1957, anti-DNA has taken a special place amongst the other antinuclear antibodies. Even today, it stands out between these, because of its high specificity for one particular disease: systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Furthermore, anti-DNA has been shown to actually play a role in a key disease feature of SLE: lupus nephritis. Binding of anti-DNA to the glomerular basement membrane of the kidney has been shown to be mediated by nucleosomes. More recently, it has been shown that patients with SLE also have antibodies specific for nucleosomes in their circulation. It may well be that anti-nucleosome detection in the near future will prove to be of more relevance than anti-DNA detection. Nucleosomes also seem to play a key role in the induction of anti-DNA (and anti-nucleosome) production. Mechanisms involved in this process may include defects in apoptosis and/or clearance of apoptotic material. Studies of these mechanisms will help us to decipher the cause of autoantibody production, or indeed of autoimmune diseases such as SLE.