High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! An abzyme (from antibody and enzyme), also called catmab (from catalytic monoclonal antibody), is a monoclonal antibody with catalytic activity. Molecules which are modified to gain new catalytic activity are called synzymes. Abzymes are usually artificial constructs, but are also found in normal humans (anti-vasoactive intestinal peptide autoantibodies) and in patients with autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, where they can bind to and hydrolyze DNA. Abzymes are potential tools in biotechnology, e.g., to perform specific actions on DNA.