Age-related changes in auto- and natural antibody in the Werner syndrome

To assess the immunologic disturbance in WErner syndrome, antibodies to "intrinsic" (auto)antigens (anti-DNA antibodies and rheumatoid factors) and "natural" antibodies to "extrinsic" antigens (hemagglutinins for sheep red cells and antibodies against ABO blood type antigens) were measured in serum samples from 16 patients with Werner syndrome and compared with those from 150 healthy persons ranging in age from less than a year to 98. Employing a sensitive solid-phase radioimmunoassay, we found that the levels of both anti-double-stranded and anti-single-stranded DNA antibodies in the IgG class gradually increased with age in normal donors; a more abrupt increase with age was observed in those with Werner syndrome, although they lacked any complication of renal disease and hypocomplementemia. The titers of rheumatoid factor detected by sensitized sheep cell agglutination also gradually rose in normal persons and patients with Werner syndrome. In contrast, the titers of natural antibodies declined with age in both groups. These disturbances in antibody production suggested that Werner syndrome expresses an accelerated form of aging in immunologic aspect.