* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received March 23, 2006; Revision received July 10, 2006
Four fractions of IgG antibodies to native DNA (nDNA) were obtained from blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). These antibodies displayed a thermostable DNA-hydrolyzing activity and were different in affinity for DNA-cellulose and sorption on DEAE-cellulose. DNA-hydrolyzing antibodies to nDNA are metal-dependent endonucleases, cause mainly single-strand breaks in DNA, and are active over a wide range of pH. By atomic-force microscopy, three-dimensional images of DNA complexes with DNA-hydrolyzing antibodies to nDNA were obtained with nanometer resolution, and a nonprocessive action mechanism was shown for the DNase activity of antibodies to nDNA.
KEY WORDS: polyclonal catalytic antibodies, abzymes, systemic lupus erythematosus, IgG, hydrolysis of DNA, atomic-force microscopyDOI: 10.1134/S0006297906110095