Cells grown in culture have been used to detect antibodies in lupus erythematosus (LE) sera against nuclear components by means of the immunofluorescent antibody technique. This technique was shown to correlate well with both complement fixation and with the detection of LE cells. Localization of the reaction on the chromosomes indicates that some sera react primarily with the desoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or DNA-associated molecules. This reaction occurs in cells in various stages of mitosis as well as in the interphase cell. Other sera were found to react with antigens near the nuclear membrane. Antinuclear antibodies do not appear to penetrate the viable HeLa cell and do not prevent growth and multiplication of living cells in culture. It is suggested that the combination of tissue culture and immunofluorescence is a precise and sensitive method for the detection of antinuclear antibodies.
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