High-avidity anti-DNA antibody removal from the serum of systemic lupus erythematosus patients by adsorption using dextran sulfate cellulose columns.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether immunoadsorption treatment using a dextran sulfate (DS) column can remove high-avidity anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibody from the blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Before and after each immunoadsorption therapy routine, titers of the high-avidity anti-dsDNA antibody of 11 SLE patients were measured by using a newly developed assay kit to exclusively detect high avidity anti-DNA antibody. Patients with active SLE showed significantly higher titers of high-avidity antibody than did those with inactive SLE, and their titers were significantly reduced by immunoadsorption procedures. Removal of high-avidity antibodies in vitro was also confirmed by mixing patients' sera and DS gel. Immunoadsorption therapy using DS columns is effective in the removal of high-avidity anti-dsDNA antibodies that are closely associated with pathogenicity in SLE.