The features of autoimmunity in complicated atherosclerosis: A pilot study

Abstract

Background: There is increasing evidence that autoimmunity plays an essential role in atherogenesis. At the same time, changes in the profile of natural autoantibodies (AAb) are characteristic not only of autoimmune, but also of all somatic diseases in general, since AAb can, without being the cause of the disease, respond to illness-related changes being a kind of bioregulators of homeostasis and/or immunological clearance factors. Methods: The enzyme immunoassays ELI-Cardio-Test was used to determine changes in serum content of a 12 natural AAb towards the autoantigens, which are the markers of pathological changes in myocardium and blood vessel walls, in 5 patients with diagnosis of severe complicated atherosclerosis and 5 healthy individuals. Results: patients with atherosclerosis were characterized by significantly more frequent and pronounced deviations in the autoimmunoreactivity against platelet membrane antigen (TrM) than healthy controls. The level of other natural AAb did not differ between study groups. Conclusions: It is not possible to distinguish between individuals without atherosclerosis and those with severe atherosclerosis, based on the overall picture of the autoimmune profile for manufacturer-selected antigens. However, the obvious discordance of groups in terms of autoimmunoreactivity to TrM merits further study. Perhaps, it is worth for a manufacturer to modify the set of autoantigens in this panel and focus more on the autoimmunity against platelet antigens as well as add the appropriate information about anti-TrM autoimmunity to the kit leaflet.