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In this study we determined the prevalence and clinical associations of immune-complexes-containing beta-2-glycoprotein I (β[sub 2]GPI) in randomly selected SLE patients. We studied 38 consecutive SLE patients attending the Rheumatology Unit. Previous arterial or venous-thrombosis were documented by the appropriate diagnostic test. Lipid profile including total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, HDL and Lp(a) levels were determined from the sera of the fasting patients. Antibodies to cardiolipin, oxidized LDL and β[sub 2]GPI were detected employing ELISA. β[sub 2]GPI containing IgG immune-complexes were assayed by using a dot-blot assay. Fourteen SLE patients (36.8%) were found to be positive for the presence of IgG anti-β[sub 2]GPI antibodies. Ten of the SLE patients (26.3%) were found to have high levels of β[sub 2]GPI containing immune-complexes. There was a positive correlation between β[sub 2]GPI-IC levels and the occurrence of thrombocytopenia in the patients (P<0.05). Furthermore, patients with SLE and venous thrombosis had higher levels of β[sub 2]GPI-IC when compared with thrombosis-free patients or with healthy controls (P<0.05). Patients with higher Lp(a) levels (>50 mg/dl) possessed higher levels of β[sub 2]GPI-IC as compared with patients with lower Lp(a) concentration (<20 mg/dl) (P<0.05). These results suggest that IC-containing β[sub 2]GPI can help in defining a subpopulation of SLE patients with increased risk of thrombocytopenia and further aid in resolving mechanisms of immune-mediated tissue damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis is a multifactorial disease that involves the arterial system. Recent data suggest that immune and autoimmune factors play a dominant role in mediating the progression of atherosclerosis. Among these factors, humoral response to modified forms of LDL and heat- shock proteins has been shown to be influential.The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) entails clinical manifestations that result from a hypercoagulable state. Antibodies to phospholipids and to β2-glycoprotein I have been suggested to confer the tendency to thrombosis. In a set of recent studies, we have been able to show that generation of antiphospholipid antibodies in mice is associated with enhanced atherosclerosis. These findings imply that APS and atherosclerosis may share a common etiologic background, which may have direct implications for the management of both conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this study we determined the prevalence and clinical associations of immune-complexes-containing beta-2-glycoprotein I (beta2GPI) in randomly selected SLE patients. We studied 38 consecutive SLE patients attending the Rheumatology Unit. Previous arterial or venous-thrombosis were documented by the appropriate diagnostic test. Lipid profile including total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, HDL and Lp(a) levels were determined from the sera of the fasting patients. Antibodies to cardiolipin, oxidized LDL and beta2GPI were detected employing ELISA. Beta2GPI containing IgG immune-complexes were assayed by using a dot-blot assay. Fourteen SLE patients (36.8%) were found to be positive for the presence of IgG anti-beta2GPI antibodies. Ten of the SLE patients (26.3%) were found to have high levels of beta2GPI containing immune-complexes. There was a positive correlation between beta2GPI-IC levels and the occurrence of thrombocytopenia in the patients (P < 0.05). Furthermore, patients with SLE and venous thrombosis had higher levels of beta2GPI-IC when compared with thrombosis-free patients or with healthy controls (P < 0.05). Patients with higher Lp(a) levels (> 50 mg/dl) possessed higher levels of beta2GPI-IC as compared with patients with lower Lp(a) concentration (< 20 mg/dl) (P < 0.05). These results suggest that IC-containing beta2GPI can help in defining a subpopulation of SLE patients with increased risk of thrombocytopenia and further aid in resolving mechanisms of immune-mediated tissue damage.