Antibody Fingerprinting: A Novel Method for Identifying Individual People and Animals

Abstract

Autoantibodies that react with cellular components occur in high frequency in patients with systemic rheumatic diseases. A novel class of “autoantibodies” that react with cellular components has been identified in normal humans and other species. Unlike the disease-associated autoantibodies that are restricted in number, these human autoantibodies increase in number from birth until approximately two years after birth, and then remain constant for decades, if not lifelong. The complement of such autoantibodies present in an individual is unique, and for this reason they have been named individual-specific or IS autoantibodies. The IS autoantibodies, when physically separated, comprise an “antibody fingerprint” that can serve to identify people or animals, or their body fluids. These antibodies may also be associated with “security documents” and used for purposes of authentication.