Autoantibodies and Natural Catalytic Antibodies in Health, Multiple Sclerosis, and Some Other Diseases

Abstract

In patients with autoimmune disease (AD) viral, and bacterial diseases autoantibodies (Abs) directed to polysaccha- rides, nucleic acids, proteins, peptides, and nucleoprotein complexes may emerge. Some of these autoantibodies show enzyme activity and may perform catalytic functions (abzymes; Abzs). Such Abs can have the catalytic activity of idiotypic and/or antiidiotypic Abs. Healthy humans usually do not develop Abzs. Detection of Abzs is the earliest indicator for the development of ADs. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. MS pathogenesis is not clear. Destruction of myelin by inflammation caused by AI reactions has been proposed. However, poly-specific DNA-binding Abs are present in MS patients. IgG Abzs from MS patients hydrolyzed DNA, RNA, polysaccharides, and myelin basic protein. This fact may be important for MS pathogenesis. Here we discuss catalytic antibodies (Abzs) in MS and those in other autoimmune diseases.