Anti-DNA antibodies in the blood of patients with schizophrenia possess DNA-hydrolyzing activity

Abstract

Introduction

Autoantibodies (Abs) to different neuronal receptors and DNA were detected in the blood of patients with schizophrenia. Abs hydrolyzing DNA were detected in pool of polyclonal autoantibodies in autoimmune and infectious diseases, such catalytic Abs were named abzymes.

Objectives

To investigate the level of anti-DNA antibodies and DNA-hydrolyzing activity of IgG from the serum of patients with schizophrenia depending on leading clinical symptoms.

Aims

– To measure the concentration of anti-DNA Abs in serum of patients with leading positive and negative symptoms;

– to determine DNA-hydrolyzing activity of IgG.

Methods

In our study, 51 patients were included. The levels of antiDNA Abs were determined using ELISA. DNA-hydrolyzing activity was detected as the level(%) of supercoiled pBluescript DNA transition in circular and linear forms. Statistical analysis was performed in “Statistica 9.0”.

Results

Anti-DNA Abs of patients with schizophrenia not only bind DNA, but quite efficiently hydrolyze the substrate. IgG of patient with schizophrenia were shown to possess DNA hydrolyzing activity. It should be noted that DNAase activity of IgG in patients with schizophrenia with a negative symptoms was significantly higher, than in patients with positive symptoms (Table 1).

Conclusions

The data show a correlation with the level of DNase activity and leading symptoms of patients with schizophrenia.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Table 1 Concentration of anti-DNA Abs and relative hydrolysis of DNA in different groups of patients with schizophrenia.