Presence of anti-Sm reactivity in autoimmune mouse strains

Abstract
In this study, the technique of double immunodiffusion (ID) in agarose standard human reference sera (of known ANA [anti-nuclear antibody] specificity) was used to survey a large number of mice from the NZB, NZB .times. NZW, MRL/1, MRL/n, BXSB and other strains. The anti-Sm marker antibody was found almost uniquely in the MRL/1 and MRL/n animals. These 2 related strains may serve as experimental models to explore the mechanism stimulating the production of this unique autoantibody in SLE [systemic lupus erythematosus].