Circulating Autoantibodies to Endothelial Progenitor Cells: Binding Characteristics and Association with Risk Factors for Atherosclerosis

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 9; no. 6; p. e97836
• Main Authors: George, Jacob, Matucci-Cerinic, Marco, Bar, Iris, Shimoni, Sara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 19.06.2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Antibodies; Apoptosis; Arteriosclerosis; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis - blood; Atherosclerosis - immunology; Atherosclerosis - pathology; Autoantibodies; Autoantibodies - blood; Autoantibodies - immunology; Autoantibodies - isolation & purification; Binding; Biology and Life Sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Bone marrow; C-reactive protein; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Cardiovascular disease; Cell Count; Cells (biology); Correlation analysis; Cytokines; Diabetes mellitus; Endothelial cells; Endothelial Progenitor Cells - immunology; Endothelium, Vascular - immunology; Endothelium, Vascular - pathology; Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; Female; Health risks; Heart; High density lipoprotein; Humans; Hypertension; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulins; Inflammation; Interleukin 6; Ischemia; Laboratories; Liver diseases; Low density lipoprotein; Male; Medical research; Medicine and Health Sciences; Middle Aged; Progenitor cells; Rheumatology; Risk analysis; Risk assessment; Risk Factors; Smooth muscle; Stem cells; Studies; Vascular cell adhesion molecule 1; Vascular diseases
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097836

Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) are committed to transform into EC promoting vasculogenic ischemic repair. Anti-endothelial cells (AECA) have been described in various disorders with an associated vascular damage. Herein, we explored a novel circulating population of IgG reactive with EPC, in patients with differential risk profile for atherosclerotic vascular disease. A novel cyto-ELISA system was established where the coated cells were late outgrowth EPC. Levels of anti-EPC antibodies were determined in 100 subjects and differential risk score for atherosclerosis, as well as to circulating EPC levels and the inflammatory markers IL-6 and C-reactive protein. To study endothelial cell (EC) activating properties, sera were tested for their ability to induce VCAM-1 expression in a cell ELISA system. Detectable levels of anti-EPC antibodies, that correlated with age, Framingham risk score and CRP concentrations but did not associate with levels of LDL, HDL, hypertension or diabetes, were detected. Anti-EPC antibodies were distinct from EC binding antibodies as shown by competitive inhibition studies, and have been positively correlated with the extent of EC activation manifested by in vitro VCAM-1 expression. This is the first study showing a newly defined subgroup of self-antibodies binding EPC and associating positively with the Framingham risk score. Further studies are required to characterize and test this interesting subset of EPC binding autoantibodies and their potential significance.