To study possible pathogenetic role and clinical significance of DNA-hydrolysing autoantibodies (autoAB) or DNA-abzymes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Prevalence of DNA-abzymes and their catalytic activity were studied in 400 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 88 healthy donors matched by age and gender.
Associated with DNA-binding autoAB DNA-hydrolysing activity was detected in 41.5% cases of RA. DNA-abzymes were maximally active in men with rheumatoid factor (RF) and women without RF, while it was minimal in men without RF and women with RF. By catalytic activity there was no significant differences between patients with RF and without it. The highest catalytic activity of DNA abzymes was detected in patients with distinct extraarticular pathology. DNA-abzymes were also active in patients with x-ray stage III-IV of the disease in association with high prevalence of catalytic autoAB. DNA abzymes were also active in patients with RA activity stage II and III.
It is possible to use DNA-abzymes in clinical practice for monitoring of the disease activity in RA.