Atheroma: links with antiphospholipid antibodies, Hughes syndrome and lupus

Antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) are found in a variety of autoimmune dise ases, and are thought to predispose to arterial and venous thrombosis. Thes e antibodies, when investigated in different assays in vitro, activate endo thelial cells and promote uptake of modified LDL to macrophages. These obse rvations suggest that aPL can contribute to atheroma development by targeti ng some of the sequential steps that constitute early atherogenesis. If sub stantiated by large-scale clinical trials, the pro-atherogenic properties o f aPL may merit screening and intervention programs in selected populations .