Thromb Haemost 2000; 84(05): 742-746
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1614108
Rapid Communication
Schattauer GmbH

Systemic Endothelial Cell Markers in Primary Antiphospholipid Syndrome

Frances M. K. Williams*
1   From the Departments of Haematology and Lupus Research, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK
,
Kiran Parmar*
1   From the Departments of Haematology and Lupus Research, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK
,
Graham R. V. Hughes
1   From the Departments of Haematology and Lupus Research, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK
,
Beverley J. Hunt
1   From the Departments of Haematology and Lupus Research, St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK
› Author Affiliations
K. Parmar is funded by the Special Trustees of St Thomas’ Hospital.
Further Information

Publication History

Received 28 February 2000

Accepted after resubmission 24 July 2000

Publication Date:
13 December 2017 (online)

Summary

The pathogenic mechanism underlying the prothrombotic tendency of Hughes’ or antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) has not been elucidated. Numerous procoagulant mechanisms have been tested including platelet activation, monocyte tissue factor (TF) expression and endothelial cell (EC) activation. There is some evidence for the latter from studies on cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Incubation with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) induces EC activation in vitro. We investigated whether there was evidence of EC perturbation in vivo using enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays (ELISAs) for soluble markers of EC dysfunction. Serum and plasma were collected from controls and patients with primary APS and ELISAs performed to quantify soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), endothelin-1 (ET-1), von Willebrand factor (vWF) and soluble tissue factor (sTF). In addition, soluble p-selectin (p-selectin) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured: the former as a marker of platelet activation, the latter as a potential mediator of TF expression. No significant differences in the levels of blood-borne soluble markers were detected between the patient and control groups except for VEGF and sTF, patients having significantly higher levels of VEGF and sTF than controls (p <0.05). These results suggest plasma soluble tissue factor and VEGF may play a role in the pathogenesis of thrombosis in APS, although the cell of origin of these molecules remains unclear.

* F. M. K. Williams is an ARC Clinical Research Fellow.


 
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