title: Complement activation by anticardiolipin antibodies.
abstract: A haemolytic assay was used to test the complement fixation ability of 16 serum samples with high concentrations of anti-cardiolipin antibodies. Fourteen patients had clinical complications usually associated with these antibodies--namely, recurrent abortions, thrombosis, or thrombocytopenia. Complement fixation by anticardiolipin antibodies was shown in only four of these patients and was not directly related to the antibody concentration. Because anticardiolipin antibodies in most of these patients did not activate the complement pathway it is unlikely that the complement cascade has an important role in the clinical complications associated with these antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Investigation in Rheumatology, University of São Paulo, School of Medicine, Brazil.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Santiago
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gaburo
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Cossermelli
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D002308:Cardiolipins / Q000276:immunology*; D003167:Complement Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000276:immunology; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D002308:Cardiolipins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M