Molecular analysis of snRNAs and scRNAs using autoantibodies from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Immunoprecipitation analysis of total HeLa cells RNA extract by protein A-Sheparose purified autoantibodies and pCp 32P-3' end labeling RNAs revealed that U1, U2, U4 and U5 snRNAs are related with anti-Sm or U1nRNP autoantibodies, while the hY1, hY3, hY4 and hY5 scRNAs were related to anti-SSA/Ro autoantibodies present in sera of patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. The authors detected molecular snRNAs and scRNAs specificities by autoantibodies in 71 sera, the molecular RNA specificity for anti-Sm (U1, U2, U4 and U5 snRNAs) was present in 39%; anti-SSA/Ro sera reacted against scRNAs (hY1, hY3, hY4 and hY5) in 36%, then anti-U1nRNP sera recognized U1 snRNA in 13% of sera and anti-rRNP related with rRNA were recognized in 8%. Twenty-nine SLE sera were RNA negative. A molecular characterization of the autoantibodies in sera from SLE patients may be a useful tool for clinical and laboratory diagnosis of SLE, and the use of autoantibodies as molecular probes allows to continue exploring some basic mechanism of gene expression.