Antibodies to endothelial cells in Behcet's disease: Cell-binding heterogeneity and association with clinical activity

Abstract

Objective - To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of antibodies to endothelial cells (aEC) from large vessel and from microvasculature in a group of patients with Behcet's disease (BD) to determine the relationship of these antibodies with clinical and laboratory features of the disease. Methods Thirty patients with BD were prospectively and consecutively studied. The aEC were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using endothelial cells derived from human umbilical vein (large vessel) as well as from retroperitoneal adipose tissue (microvasculature). Results - Fifteen patients (50%) had aEC, either (directed to large vessel [8(26%) patients or microvascular [13(43%) patients endothelial cells. The percentage of active patients was significantly higher in the aEC-positive group [[12(80%) patients compared with the aEC-negative group [5(33%) patients] (p < 0.05). Conclusions - Patients with BD have a high prevalence of aEC when microvascular endothelial cells are used in the assay. These antibodies seem to be a marker of disease activity in this condition, previously considered as negative for autoantibodies.