Genetic control of antinuclear antibodies in mice inoculated with the moloney leukaemia virus.

The production of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) was studied after inoculation with Moloney leukaemia virus (M-MuLV) in different H-2 congenic strains of mice. Using a new sensitive method for ANA detection, it was demonstrated that M-MuLV-induced ANA were genetically controlled by several different factors. A high viral production was first required for ANA triggering.

Isoprinosine delays the early appearance of autoimmunity in NZB/NZW F1 mice treated with interferon.

NZB/NZW F1 hybrid mice treated for long periods with type beta interferon developed early symptoms of autoimmune disease. In these animals the level of anti-dsDNA antibody begins to increase at 4-6 months while untreated NZB/NZW mice do not display similar levels until 12 months. The concomitant administration of isoprinosine and interferon delays the early appearance of autoimmune disorders.

[Interactions between rheumatoid factors and antinuclear autoantibodies: their occurrence in a concealed state in rheumatoid disease (arthritis); effect of D-penicillamine].

In this paper it is demonstrated that IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) can inhibit the detection of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) by the classical rat liver cryostat section method. This "inhibition" of IgG-ANA by IgM-RF may be due to the formation of high molecular weight complexes. It would be the same in vivo.

Hidden anti-nuclear antibodies in rheumatic diseases.

Hidden anti-nuclear antibodies are demonstrated by immunofluorescence using smears of rat nuclei as substrate and rat liver section technique when sera are incubated with penicillamine. The non-detection of hidden anti-nuclear antibodies by tissue sections in the absence of a splitting agent may be due to the formation of high molecular weight complexes between rheumatoid factors and anti-nuclear antibodies. These high molecular weight complexes containing anti-nuclear antibodies do not have access to tissue nuclear antigens, but can react directly with free nuclei.

Interactions between IgM antiglobulins and IgG antinuclear antibodies. Some aspects of D-penicillamine activities.

In this report we describe an in vitro masking action of IgM rheumatoid factor (IgM-RF) towards IgG antinuclear antibodies (IgG-ANA) which can be recovered by using D-penicillamine (DP) as an unmasking agent. The mechanism of this masking effect was elucidated by using smears of rat free nucleus as substrate, instead of the classical rat liver cryostat sections technique. It was postulated that the 'inhibition' of IgG-ANA by IgM-RF may be due to the formation of high molecular weight complexes (HMWC); this would be the same in vivo.