Autoimmunity in Aleutian disease: contribution of antiviral and anti-DNA antibody to hypergammaglobulinemia.

The contributions to Aleutian disease gammopathy of specific antiviral antibody and an autoimmune component, anti-DNA antibody, were studied with pastel ranch mink naturally infected with Aleutian disease virus. Specific antibody activities were determined by countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis and radioimmune assay, respectively. Gamma globulin levels (percent gamma) were determined by serum electrophoresis. Within an infected mink population, it was possible to predict the level of gammopathy from measurement of the two antibody levels. For the mink serum samples used, there was better correlation between anti-DNA antibody levels and total serum immunoglobulin than between anti-Aleutian disease virus antibody titers and percent gamma. With serum samples taken over a 2-week interval, significant increases were measured in anti-DNA antibody and percent gamma. Increases in anti-Aleutian disease virus titers during this period were not significant. The results suggest that the continuing increases in serum immunoglobulin in Aleutian disease virus-infected mink are due to both a specific antiviral response and an autoimmune response, as reflected in generation of anti-DNA antibody.