ANTI-PHOSPHOLIPID ANTIBODIES IN SYPHILIS AND A THROMBOTIC SUBSET OF SLE - DISTINCT PROFILES OF EPITOPE SPECIFICITY

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  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 59  (2) , 449-456
Abstract
In a study of connective tissue and infectious disease sera, IgM and IgG anti-cardiolipin activity was demonstrated by a solid phase radioimmunoassay in systemic lupus erythematosous (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis, syphilis and in acute malaria caused by 4 different species of Plasmodium [P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae]. The highest values were noted in SLE (IgM anti-cardiolipin P < 0.005, IgG anti-cardiolipin P < 0.01), but there was no correlation with antibody to double-stranded DNA, rheumatoid factor or VDRL [Veneral Disease Research Laboratory] titers in any disease group. Anti-cardiolipin binding was significantly associated with the lupus anticoagulant, thrombocytopnea, spontaneous abortions and thromboses in the SLE patients. Ten SLE sera from the thombotic subset and 10 syphilitic sera with similar anti-cardiolipin activity were tested against 4 phospholipid antigens and showed significantly different anti-phosphatidylethanolamine/anti-phosphatidylserine binding ratios (P < 0.001). These differences in phospholipid epitope specificity could explain the specificity of the VDRL antigen in syphilis serology. A putative role for anti-phosphatidylserine in the thrombotic diathesis of SLE is discussed.