Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed in living organisms during normal metabolic reactions as well as under different environmental stresses. In this study, thymidine monophosphate (TMP) was exposed to hydroxyl radical (OH) and challenged in rabbits. TMP and OH-modified TMP were found to be nonimmunogenic. The TMP was linked to bovine serum albumin (BSA) by carbodiimide reaction, and then modified with the OH. The neoantigens, TMP–BSA, and ROS–TMP–BSA conjugates induced highly specific antibodies against immunogens. Induced antibodies exhibited appreciable cross-reactivity with various polynucleotides and nucleic acids. In this respect, the induced antibodies resembled the diverse antigen-binding characteristics of naturally occurring systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) anti-DNA autoantibodies.