Enhanced antibody titers to an oxidized DNA base in inflammatory and neoplastic diseases

Abstract Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by phagocytic cells induce oxidative stress during chronic inflammation, ROS play a role in the pathogenesis of a broad range of diseases including autoimmune, cardiac and neoplastic abnormalities. We found that sera of patients with a variety of inflammatory dermatoses contain elevated levels of antibodies (Ab) binding to an oxidized DNA base derivative, 5‐hydroxyme‐thyl‐2′deoxyuridine (HMdU) coupled to bovine serum albumin, as determined by the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Patients with immune complex diseases and a history of neoplasm elaborated the highest titers of anti‐HMdU Ab. Titers from sera of psoriatic subjects were lower than from the aforementioned groups but were still significantly elevated (p<0. 001) above those of healthy controls. Treatment of inflammatory dermatoses with systemic antiinflammatory and cytotoxic drugs significantly lowered the titers [p<0. 005 (immune complex) or p<0. 001 (psoriasis and neoplastic) diseases], suggesting that this assay may be of value in monitoring the response to therapy in these diseases.