PHOSPHOLIPID-DEPENDENT ANTI-BETA(2)-GLYCOPROTEIN-I (BETA(2)-GPI) ANTIBODIES AND ANTIPHOSPHOLIPID SYNDROME

A portion of anticardiolipin antibodies is defined as phospholipid-dep endent anti-beta(2)-glycoprotein I(beta(2)-GPI) antibodies and recogni zes the conformationally altered beta(2)-GPI which interacts with anio nic phospholipids. We studied the clinical significance of IgG phospho lipid-dependent anti-beta(2)-GPI antibodies in patients with antiphosp holipid syndrome (APS), The subjects consisted of 60 APS patients, IgG phospholipid-dependent anti-beta(2)-GPI antibodies were detected by E LISA in 32 of the 60 patients (53%). Significantly higher incidences o f prolonged APTT and lupus anticoagulants were found in patients with these anti-beta(2)-GPI antibodies, Moreover, significantly lower incid ences of malar rash, serositis, LE cell preparation and anti-Sm antibo dies were found in patients with these anti-beta(2)-GPI antibodies. It was found that 88% of the patients with these anti-beta(2)-GPI antibo dies satisfied less than five of the revised criteria items for the cl assification of SLE, These findings indicate the clinical characterist ics of APS patients with IgG phospholipid-dependent anti-beta(2)-GPI a ntibodies.