THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LUPUS GLOBULIN-NUCLEOPROTEIN REACTION

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Abstract
Studies with the fluorescent antibody technique have shown that sera from patients with disseminated lupus erythematosus contain a globulin factor with a marked affinity for nuclei. With the use of this method, the nuclear component involved in the reaction was found to be in the nucleoprotein fraction of the cell nucleus. Evidence was presented indicating that this reaction is an essential step in the L. E. phenomenon. A clinical survey was made in which the affinity of human serums for spots of nucleoprotein was tested using fluorescent antiglobulin. Results indicated that the factor was consistently demonstrable in serum from lupus patients, and in low titer in serum from occasional patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other related diseases. Results of tests in which the factor was detected with antiglobulin labeled with I131 indicated that this method might be used to measure the factor in human serums. The significance of these observations was discussed.