Pisetsky DS, et al. - Given that immune complexes characterize systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which is a prototypic autoimmune disease, and since these complexes comprise mitochondrial components, researchers evaluated the presence of antibodies to whole mitochondria (wMITO) utilizing an ELISA in which mitochondria from mouse liver were bound to microtiter plates precoated with poly-l-lysine. Abundant anti-wMITO activity in SLE plasmas was shown in studies with this ELISA. While there was no influence of digestion with DNase 1 on anti-wMITO activity, a decrease in binding activity could be induced by the adsorption of plasma on DNA affinity columns. Higher anti-wMITO levels were seen in active SLE in the analysis of 204 patients with SLE, and a correlation of anti-wMITO levels with anti-DNA levels was identified. Overall, findings highlighted the ability of anti-wMITO for forming immune complexes with mitochondria which may drive pathogenesis.