DNA-hydrolyzing Ab: is catalytic activity a clue for physiological significance?

Ab with DNA-hydrolyzing properties were described in autoimmune pathologies, such as SLE and RA, and in other autoimmune diseases, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia, AIDS, and others. The disease-associated DNA-binding AAb penetrate cell membrane and enter the nucleus. Intracellular entry of anti-DNA was linked to cellular damage and apo. Here we discuss the possible pathological process induced by DNA-cleaving Ab in the nucleus, where these Ab may induce apo. Apo processes, e.g., induced by DNA-hydrolyzing Ab, may underlie a number of syndromes observed in autoimmunity thus providing the grounds for the pathological role of DNA-hydrolyzing Ab in these diseases.