Polyclonal antibodies from blood and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis effectively hydrolyze DNA and RNA

It is known that in the blood of patients with some autoimmune diseases catalytically active antibodies hydrolyzing proteins, DNA, and RNA may be detected. In the present work homogeneous preparations of IgG antibodies (Ab) possessing high affinity for nucleic acids (NA) were obtained for the first time from blood and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The fraction of IgG Ab as well as its Fab fragments and isolated light chains of both kappa- and lambda-types were shown to catalyze effectively the hydrolysis of DNA and RNA. It is shown by different methods that the capability for nucleic acid hydrolysis is an intrinsic property of the polyclonal Ab. NA-hydrolyzing Ab were detected in the blood of 69 of 72 and in the cerebrospinal fluid of 5 of 5 examined MS patients, while they were not detected in the blood of any of 50 healthy donors examined. Comparison of relative rates of RNA hydrolysis and of the substrate specificity in hydrolysis of various model RNAs--cCMP, poly(U), poly(A), and poly(C)--revealed pronounced differences of MS antibodies from ribonucleases of human blood, ribonuclease A, and all earlier described abzymes. The abzymes are usually characterized by relatively low specific activities in comparison with that of normal enzymes catalyzing analogous reactions. Ab from the blood of MS patients are the first example of autoabzymes whose specific activity in RNA hydrolysis is comparable or even higher than that of pancreatic ribonuclease A--one of the most active RNA-hydrolyzing enzymes.     

Urinary excretion of vanilmandelic acid in the glossalgia syndrome

Under observation there were 78 patients aged 41 to 70 years suffering from the glossalgia syndrome, as well as 25 clinically healthy subjects. An activation of the sympathoadrenal system was revealed in the patients. This was ascertained on the basis of the data on vanillylmandelic acid excretion with the urine. The excretion of that acid is known to be dependent on the intensity of the paraesthesias, the duration of the ailment and the character of concurrent visceral diseases. The results obtained are regarded as evidences of the participation of the vegetative nervous system in the mechanism of the glossalgia syndrome development.     

Renin localization in segmental renal hypoplasia. Immunohistochemical demonstration in two cases

The distribution of renin in two cases of segmental renal hypoplasia was investigated by immunofluorescence and the peroxidase anti-peroxidase (PAP) method using an anti-human renin antiserum. Renin-containing cells were found only in hypoplasic segments in the vicinity of altered glomeruli and small arteries. Well-preserved renal cortex and areas of chronic atrophic pyelonephritis failed to show any demonstrable site of renin production. Whatever is the mechanism of the disease, the characterization of large numbers of renin-containing cells in the affected kidney support a role for the renin-angiotensin system stimulation in this form of hypertension.