Association between DNA antibodies levels in the blood of patients with multiple sclerosis and clinical presentation of the disease

Multiple sclerosis (MS) as an autoimmune disease is characterized by occurrence of high titres of antibodies (AB) to cell structures and autoantigens. Various AB-mediated effector mechanisms can participate directly in the pathogenesis of demyelinisation damaging myelin, oligodendrocytes and nervous fibres. Antinuclear AB, including anti-DNA AB are an example of activation of humoral immunity in MS. Pathogenetic and clinical value of these AB is investigated insufficiently. The aim of this study was estimation of the AB titers in MS patients from two populations of Russia in relation to clinical features of MS. Results of examination of 83 patients with definite MS from Novosibirsk and Moscow (49 and 34 patients) are analyzed. Groups of comparison consisted of healthy donors and patients with SLE of the same age. Use of identical methods in the analysis of the data received in two various populations made the data objective as much as possible and revealed the strongest clinico-biochemical associations. Levels of AB to both native and denaturated DNA were studied. Comparison of several test-systems showed that the system produced by "Specialized scientific Labs" Company has the best sensitivity. In two populations of MS patients the levels of AB in plasma were similar and associated between each other, higher than in donors, but lower than in SLE patients. in both groups MS patients with secondary progressive MS had higher percent of samples of plasma with average and high levels of AB. In the Novosibirsk group associations of levels of AB with parameters of disease severely (EDSS and a number of FS scales) were seen. In the Moscow group levels of AB to DNA were significantly associated with time from the disease onset to certain level of disability (EDSS 3); both the analysis of average values and the correlation analysis showed a weak association of AB to DNA level and MS duration. The data testify that AB to DNA play a more important role in MS pathogenesis than was considered earlier. Catalytic AB as a part of anti-DNA AB may play a special role.