Abstract
The presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) is essential to diagnose the antiphospholipid
syndrome (APS). Three assays are available to detect the presence of these autoantibodies,
but all three assays suffer from several important drawbacks. First, the assays lack
standardization because the results of the assay partially depend on the laboratory
that performs the assay. Second, we do not know whether the assays detect the autoantibody
population responsible for the clinical manifestations that characterize the syndrome.
Finally, the assays do not predict the risk of recurrence. There is an absolute need
for novel assays that generate prognostic information that can be used for a more
tailored treatment of patients with APS. In 2011, important information became available
on the protein against which the autoantibodies are directed, β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI). Based on the progress we have made in our understanding of the physiology of
β2GPI, it should be possible to design assays that can better predict the consequences
of the presence of aPL in the circulation.
Keywords
lupus anticoagulant - antiphospholipid antibodies - β
2-glycoprotein I - anticardiolipin antibodies
