Anti-Nuclear Antibodies in Mice

Abstract

Summary Indirect immunofluorescent antiglobulin techniques were utilized to examine the incidence of autoimmune anti-nuclear antibodies in aging retired-breeder and virgin A/J, aging retired-breeder DBA/1J, and aging virgin (A/JxDBA/1J)F1 hybrid mice. The incidence of anti-DNP antibody in aging retired-breeder A/J animals increased almost linearly to approximately 90% by 23 months of age. The greater incidence in 8-month-old retired-breeder females than in both retired-breeder males and virgin females of the same age disappeared as more animals in each group began to produce anti-DNP antibody during aging. Anti-DNA antibody was also produced spontaneously during aging, but only in very old animals. Aging DBA/1J (retired-breeders) and AJDF1 hybrids never developed either anti-DNP or DNA antibodies. The injection of calf thymus DNP or DNA, combined with complete Freund's adjuvant, did not induce 4 ½-month-old virgin A/J mice to produce anti-DNP or DNA antibodies. Similar treatments of 8-month-old retired-breeder A/J mice which lacked anti-DNP antibody prior to injection resulted in the production of antibody reactive with both calf and rabbit thymus DNP and autochthonous nuclei (LE cell formation). Antibody with specificity for DNA could not be detected in these sera. The injection of BSA or complete Freund's adjuvant alone also resulted in anti-DNP antibody production. In contrast, DBA/1J and (A/JxDBA/1J)F1 hybrids given similar injections did not produce anti-DNP or DNA antibodies.