Prevalence of anti-beta2 glycoprotein-I antibody in patients with primary or secondary immune thrombocytopenia

• Published in: Platelets (Edinburgh) 1999-01, Vol.10 (4), p.219-222
• Main Author: Soon Song, Young Ah Kim, Hyon Suk Kim, Jae Gyun Lim, Hyun Kyung Kim, Kwang Il Park, Quehn Park, Kyung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0953-7104; 1369-1635
• DOI: 10.1080/09537109976059

We determined the prevalence of antibodies to beta2 glycoprotein-I (beta2 GPI) in sera of 57 patients with primary or secondary immune thrombocytopenia positive for platelet antibody (PAIgG) and in 16 healthy control subjects. Both isotypes (IgG and IgM) of anti-beta2 GPI were detected by means of semiquantitative ELISA and platelet antibodies were measured by means of flow cytometry using FITC-labeled anti-human IgG. Six (10.5%) of 57 patients with immune thrombocytopenia had anti-beta2 GPI, whereas none of the 16 healthy subjects had anti-beta2 GPI. Four were positive for IgM anti-beta2 GPI, one for IgG anti-beta2 GPI, and one was positive both for IgM and IgG anti-beta2 GPI. There was no significant association between the presence of anti-beta2 GPI and the severity of thrombocytopenia. Our findings suggest that some patients with immune thrombocytopenia have anti-beta2 GPI in addition to the increased PAIgG; however, the results do not support a major role for anti-beta2 GPI in the pathogenesis of immune thrombocytopenia.