Immunoglobulin Class and Pattern of Nuclear Fluorescence in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract

THE presence of antibodies that react with nuclei in the serums of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus is well established. Human antibodies have been found to belong to 1 of 3 classes of immunoglobulins that can be distinguished from each other by antigenic differences in the heavy polypeptide chains. These are the IgG, the IgA and the IgM globulins. The immunoglobulin class to which the antinuclear factor belongs has previously been investigated in small numbers of patients. Goodman and Fahey¹ first demonstrated the presence of both IgG and IgM antinuclear factors, and recent work by Barnett and his co-workers² and . . .