The difference between anti
poly (ADP-ribose)
antibodies was studied in patients with
systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE),
progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) and
drug-induced lupus (DIL). Radioimmunoassay showed that high concentrations of anti
poly (ADP-ribose)
antibodies (10.3-22.2%) were induced by
phenobarbital,
phenytoin,
valproic acid (anti-epileptic agent) and
procainamide (
anti-arrhythmic agent).
Poly (ADP-ribose)
antibodies were separated by
hydroxylapatite column chromatography. The average chain length of the
polymer consisted of 2.4, 10.8 and 28.2
ADP-ribose units. Anti
poly (ADP-ribose)
antibodies from patients with SLE and PSS reacted with 2.4, 10.8, and 28.2
ADP-ribose units in RIA, but those from patients with DIL reacted only with 28.2
ADP-ribose units in RIA. The binding specificity of anti
poly (ADP-ribose)
antibodies from pregnant women was found to be very similar to that of the
antibodies from case of DIL. The present results clearly demonstrated that anti
poly (ADP-ribose)
antibodies found in systemic
autoimmune diseases bound not only to
poly (ADP-ribose) with an average chain length of more than 20
ADP-ribose units, but also to
oligo (ADP-ribose) with an average chain length of about 2
ADP-ribose units. Anti
poly (ADP-ribose)
antibodies found in DIL cases and pregnant women, however, bound only to
poly (ADP-ribose) with an average chain length of more than 20
ADP-ribose units.