Human catalytic RNA- and DNA-hydrolyzing antibodies

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Autoimmune diseases can induce anti-idiotypic antibodies with catalytic activity, mimicking primary antigens.
• Catalytic antibodies (abzymes) have been identified that hydrolyze various biomolecules including proteins, DNA, and RNA.
• Abzymes have also been discovered in the milk of healthy mothers, catalyzing hydrolysis and phosphorylation reactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review methods for purifying and characterizing natural abzymes, particularly those acting on DNA and RNA.
• To present novel methods for rigorously verifying the intrinsic catalytic properties of antibodies.
• To discuss current themes and potential applications of abzymes in scientific, medical, and biotechnological fields.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on abzyme purification and characterization.
• Development and description of new methodologies for rigorous assessment of antibody catalytic activity.
• Analysis of established and novel abzyme functionalities.

Main Results:

• Natural abzymes capable of hydrolyzing DNA, RNA, proteins, and other substrates exist in patients with autoimmune diseases and in human milk.
• Rigorous criteria have been developed to confirm that catalytic activity is an inherent antibody property.
• The study highlights the diverse catalytic capabilities of abzymes.

Conclusions:

• Abzymes represent a fascinating phenomenon with significant potential for developing novel catalysts.
• Understanding abzymes is crucial for evaluating their roles in innate and adaptive immunity, self-tolerance, and autoimmune disease pathogenesis.
• Abzymes hold promise for diverse applications in scientific research, medicine, and biotechnology.