We investigated avidity of IgG anti-beta 2-glycoprotein I antibodies (anti-ß2GPI) in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in relation to thrombosis. Patients with APS with or without SLE may have anti-ß2GPI of high, low, or heterogeneous avidity. High avidity anti-ß2GPI were significantly more frequent in patients with thrombosis and APS, while in pure SLE low avidity anti-ß2GPI prevailed. Monitoring of avidity may help elucidate the role of anti-ß2GPI affinity maturation in the pathogenesis of APS.
COBISS.SI-ID: 18578727
The immune response may change due to altered proteins or modifications of immunoglobulins. Oxidative processes may change immunoglobulins due to chemical alteration of the hypervariable region. Increased immunoreactivity as well as the avidity of IgG from healthy persons against ß2-glycoprotein I after being exposed to direct current was showed. Chemical stability of immunoglobulins and patient’s antioxidative status may influence the range of alterations induced by electrooxidation.
COBISS.SI-ID: 2024561
Interactions of giant phospholipid vesicles, ß2-glycoprotein I (ß2GPI) and antibodies against ß2GPI (anti-ß2GPI) were studied. The results suggest a significant physiologic role of ß2GPI in the budding of phospholipid membranes, which may be explained by the insertion of the C-terminal loop of ß2GPI into membranes. Anti-ß2GPI enhanced the budding and vesiculation of GPVs in the presence of ß2GPI. This might be a novel pathogenic mechanism of anti-ß2GPI, promoting in vivo the expression of proadhesive and procoagulant phospholipid surfaces.
COBISS.SI-ID: 19749337
Typical ultrasonographic (US) changes of major salivary glands in Sjoegren's syndrome (SS) were described. Five US parameters were graded for all four salivary glands and summed in the US score. The patients with SS had significantly higher US score than those not diagnosed with SS (P ( 0.01). Setting the cut-off at 17/48 US score resulted in the best ratio of specificity (98.7%) to sensitivity (58.8%). Well-defined US changes in the major salivary glands summarized in our novel scoring system were typical of SS patients. Our results support US imaging as an useful tool in diagnosis of SS.
COBISS.SI-ID: 19262169
The frequency of epilepsy in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) was found to be 8,4%. Clinical and laboratory features associated with epilepsy in a cohort of 538 patients with APS were analyzed. The patients with epilepsy had a higher prevalence of focal ischemic events, amaurosis fugax, valvularpathology, thrombocytopenia, and livedo reticularis. These factors, however, explain only part of the increased occurrence of epilepsy in APS and other causes such as direct immune interaction in the brain should be investigated.
COBISS.SI-ID: 18177241