The trials for identification of the specific target antigen for antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) revealed that a significant number of patients produce antibodies directed to individual histories and histone peptides. Fifty JCA patients, 58 healthy children and 58 children with autoimmune and rheumatologic disorders were studied for a presence of IgG- and IgM-antibodies against histone 1, histone 2 and histone 3 measured by ELISA. The levels of IgGand IgM-antibodies directed to histone 1, 2 and 3 were elevated in JCA as compared to the healthy controls. IgG-antibodies to histone 2 and IgM-antibodies to histone 3 also were elevated in comparison with the disease controls. IgG- and IgM-antibodies against histone 1 were found to be positive in 30 % and 26 % of JCA patients, respectively, in significant association with ANA (p = 0,038 and p = 0,03, respectively) and uveitis (p = 0,02 and p = 0,016, respectively). The same prevalence of IgG- and IgM-antibodies to histone 2 was established but only the IgG-isotype showed significant association with uveitis (p = 0,018). Anti-histone 3 IgG- and IgM-antibodies were found in 34 % and 27 % of JCA patients, respectively. IgM-antibodies to histone 3 were proved to be significantly associated with uveitis (p - 0,009). It was concluded that antibodies to histone 1, histone 2, and histone 3 represented a common serological feature of JCA. Their presence was related to the manifestation of chronic anterior uveitis, associated with JCA.
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