[Enzyme studies on the pathogenesis of experimental mycoplasma arthritis]

Biochemical studies of rats with mycoplasma arthritis revealed new findings in pathogenesis and pathophysiology. Preliminary examinations showed that mycoplasmas release specific endonucleases and exonucleases. In evaluating the isoenzymes of the lactate dehydrogenases, malate dehydrogenases as well as of the esterases, which provide certain parallels with human rheumatoid arthritis we made several new observations. Thus a mycoplasma infection which resembles rheumatoid arthritis, leads to an inhibition of the DNA repair. We were able to proof this enzymekinetically and autoradiographically. We also observed for the first time the occurrence of DNA antibodies in this type of arthritis. It is possible that there is a relation between inhibition of DNA repair and the occurrence of DNA antibodies. Thus mycoplasma infection seems to influence DNA metabolism. There are interesting parallels concerning DNA antibodies and DNA-repair between experimental micoplasma arthritis and human systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.