PATHOGENIC ROLE OF ANTIPROTEIN-PHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODIES

Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are a heterogeneous family of antibo dies, including those specific for a variety of phospholipid (PL)-bind ing proteins and also those reacting with PL molecules. The former see m to be associated with the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). At presen t, the main proteins proposed as antigens are beta 2 glycoprotein I, p rothrombin. protein C, protein S, kininogens and annexin V. Anionic PL might play a key role ''in vivo'' in the binding of aPL to PL-Sound p roteins. Different mechanisms may be involved in the pathogenesis of t he APS, including effects of aPL on the protein C system and antithrom bin III and also on platelets, endothelial cells and monocytes. Recent data on experimental animal models have provided support for a causat ive role of aPL in the clinical complications of the APS.