Correlation between anti-RANA and anti-EBNA titers in normal subjects with and without HLA-DRw4

We have determined the relationship of antibody titers to the rheumatoid arthritis nuclear antigen (RANA) and of antibody titers to the Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen (EBNA) to each other and to the DRw4 B cell alloantigen in the sera of 34 normal white adults. By a sensitive indirect immunofluorescence (IF) assay, 76% had RANA antibody, compared to 23% by a micro-immunodiffusion assay. The correlation coefficient for the tube dilution titers of anti-RANA and anti-EBNA was 0.61 (P < 10(-4)). The 14 DRw4-positive subjects and the 20 DRw4-negative subjects did not differ with respect to anti-RANA titers (P = 0.51) or anti-EBNA titers (P = 0.89). We conclude that: 1) most normal adults have RANA antibody by IF; 2) anti-RANA and anti-EBNA titers are closely related; 3) the titers of these antibodies cannot be related to the presence of the DRw4 determinant in normal persons.