Functional implications of IgG anti-endothelial cell antibodies in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Autoimmunity. 2013 Nov;46(7):463-70. doi: 10.3109/08916934.2013.812080. Epub 2013 Jul 26.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to research the functionality of anti-endothelial cell antibodies (AECA) in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) by assessing the effects of IgG from AECA-positive PAH patients on the induction of adhesion molecules on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines by HUVECs. To achieve this purified IgG from 28 PAH patients were included. IgG from systemic sclerosis (SSc) (n = 58) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (n = 16) patients without PAH were included as disease controls. Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and E-selectin expression on HUVECs, incubated with patient IgG, were quantified by flow cytometry. Production of interleukin (IL)-1β, -6, -8, and CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) by HUVECs, incubated with patient IgG, were quantified by multiplex flow cytometry. Our results showed that IgG from AECA-positive PAH, SSc and SLE patients induced significantly higher expression of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and E-selectin and production of IL-6, -8, and CCL2 compared to IgG from AECA-negative patients and IgG from healthy controls. Like in SLE and SSc, IgG from AECA-positive PAH patients can activate endothelial cells to a pro-adhesive and pro-inflammatory state. Therefore, IgG AECA could play a pathogenic role by inducing inflammatory injury of vascular endothelium which is considered a key player in the initiation and progression of PAH.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Autoantibodies / biosynthesis
  • Autoantibodies / physiology
  • Cohort Studies
  • Disease Progression
  • Endothelium, Vascular / immunology*
  • Endothelium, Vascular / metabolism
  • Endothelium, Vascular / pathology*
  • Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / diagnosis
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / immunology*
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / pathology*
  • Immunoglobulin G / biosynthesis
  • Immunoglobulin G / physiology*
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / immunology
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / metabolism
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / pathology
  • Scleroderma, Diffuse / immunology
  • Scleroderma, Diffuse / pathology
  • Scleroderma, Systemic / immunology
  • Scleroderma, Systemic / metabolism
  • Scleroderma, Systemic / pathology

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Immunoglobulin G