Antiphosphatidylserine antibodies are elevated in normal tension glaucoma

• Published in: Clinical and experimental immunology Vol. 125; no. 2; pp. 211 - 215
• Main Authors: Kremmer, S., Kreuzfelder, E., Klein, R., Bontke, N., Henneberg‐Quester, K. B., Steuhl, K. P., Grosse‐Wilde, H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01-08-2001; Blackwell; Oxford University Press; Blackwell Science Inc
• Subjects: Aged; Antibodies, Anticardiolipin - biosynthesis; Antibodies, Antiphospholipid - biosynthesis; antiphosphatidylserine antibodies; antiphosphoplipid antibodies; beta 2-Glycoprotein I; Biological and medical sciences; Eye Disease; Female; General aspects; Glaucoma; Glaucoma and intraocular pressure; Glaucoma, Open-Angle - immunology; Glycoproteins - immunology; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - biosynthesis; Immunoglobulin M - biosynthesis; Immunopathology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Ophthalmology; Phosphatidylserines - immunology; Autoimmunity; Human; Eye disease; Open angle glaucoma; Pathophysiology; Antibody; Immunological investigation; Autoantibody; Phospholipid; Autoimmune disease; Serology; Phosphatidylserine
• ISSN: 0009-9104; 1365-2249
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2249.2001.01578.x

The two main entities of open‐angle glaucoma are primary open‐angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal tension glaucoma (NTG). Both diseases may be associated with autoimmune processes. Therefore, IgG and IgM antibodies to phospholipids (APL) and their subspecies cardiolipin (ACL), phosphatidylserine (APS) and β2‐glycoprotein (β2GP) were determined in 43 NTG patients, 40 POAG patients and 40 healthy controls in a prospective study. The most prominent observation was the increase in APS concentrations in NTG patients (IgG 20·6 ± 2·7 U/ml, IgM 24·4 ± 3·4 U/ml) compared with POAG patients (IgG 8·8 ± 1·2 U/ml, IgM 11·0 ± 1·7), and controls (IgG 7·7 ± 1·3 U/ml, IgM 12·8 ± 1·5 U/ml). APS may be important due to their binding specificity to phosphatidylserine molecules which become accessible during apoptosis; this in turn may lead to local thrombosis.