title: Anti-endothelial cell autoantibodies and soluble markers of endothelial cell dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if anti-endothelial cell antibodies (AECA) and plasma markers of endothelial cell function are related to disease severity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured AECA by human umbilical vein endothelial cell binding, endothelial markers von Willebrand factor, soluble thrombomodulin, and soluble E-selectin by ELISA, and disease severity by SLEDAI and SLICC/ACR in 35 patients with SLE.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite high levels of IgG AECA (p = 0.001) and von Willebrand factor (p = 0.0007) compared to 21 healthy controls, we found a positive correlation only between IgG AECA and the SLEDAI index (r = 0.393, p = 0.021).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IgG AECA seem to be related to disease activity in SLE, possibly in a pathogenic role. Conversely, plasma markers of endothelial cell damage seem to be an epiphenomenon and may simply be related to excess inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Service de Médecine Interne et Pathologie Vasculaire, Hôpital Saint-André, 1 rue Jean Burguet, 33075 Bordeaux, France. joel.constans@chu-bordeaux.fr
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Constans
authors.forename: Remy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dupuy
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Blann
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Resplandy
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seigneur
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Renard
authors.forename: Maïte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Longy-Boursier
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schaeverbeke
authors.forename: Viviane
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Guérin
authors.forename: Michel R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Boisseau
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Conri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012995:Solubility; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D018180:Thrombomodulin / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D019040:E-Selectin; D018180:Thrombomodulin; D014841:von Willebrand Factor