Increased titres of IgM anti-heparan sulfate antibody in Behçet`s disease

CER2854
2006 Vol.24, N°5 ,Suppl.42
PI 0104, PF 0107
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PMID: 17067438 [PubMed]

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
Endothelial dysfunction is crucial in Behçet`s disease (BD) pathogenesis, and measures of endothelial damage are potential markers of BD activity. Heparan sulfate (HS) is the most abundant proteoglycan in the endothelial cells, and anti-HS antibodies have been reported in subjects with vascular damage, due to vasculitis/vasculopathy. The aim of our study was to measure serum anti-HS antibodies in patients with BD and to determine whether their presence correlates with disease activity or clinical manifestations.
METHODS:
Thirty-two patients with BD (21 men, 11 women) (median age 36.81±12.0 years) were considered. Of these, 13 had clinically active disease at the time of study. The mean disease duration was 7.31± 8.2 years (median 6 years). Anti-HS antibodies were measured by ELISA. As controls, sera from 40 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects, and 78 age-matched patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were studied.
RESULTS:
Anti-HS IgM antibody titres were significantly higher in BD patients compared to healthy subjects (p=0.016) and SLE controls (p=0.0008). No differences in anti-HS IgG antibody titres were observed among the 3 groups. Using categorical data, increased titres of IgM anti-HS antibodies were significantly more frequent in patients with BD vs patients with SLE (p=0.02). The presence of the antibodies, of either isotype, did not correlate with disease duration, disease activity or clinical manifestations.
CONCLUSIONS:
BD patients have increased IgM anti-HS antibody titres compared to healthy and SLE controls. These antibodies did not correlate with disease activity or discrete clinical features, but might be relevant for pathogenic mechanisms of the disease.