Antibodies to ribonucleic acids detected by ELISA in systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis

The natural and synthetic antiribonucleic acid antibodies (anti-RNA) are more frequently found in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (80%) than in systemic sclerosis (66%) or in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (54.5%). SLE sera contain antibodies directed against a broader variety of RNA than systemic sclerosis sera and most RA sera. Fifty-two percent of SLE and 29.2% of systemic sclerosis sera recognized at least 5 of the 7 RNA types studied, whereas RA sera recognized only one or 2. Synthetic antipolynucleotide antibody activities are mainly antipolyriboguanylic-ribocytidylic acid (prG-rC), antipolyriboadenylic-ribouridylic acid (prA-rU) and polyriboadenylic acid (prA) antibody in SLE, antipolyriboguanylic acid (prG) and antipolyribocytidylic acid (prC) antibody in systemic sclerosis and anti-prG-rC, anti-prC antibody in RA.