Prevalence of agonistic autoantibodies against the angiotensin II type 1 receptor and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 in a gestational age-matched case study

Hypertension. 2009 Feb;53(2):393-8. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.108.124115. Epub 2008 Dec 8.

Abstract

We showed earlier that activating autoantibodies against the angiotensin II type 1 (AT(1)) receptor (AT1-AA) circulate in preeclamptic women. They may be involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Protein alignment suggests that the binding site for AT1-AAs is highly homologous to the capsid protein VP2 of parvovirus B19. We performed a prospective, nested, case-control study of 30 gestational age-matched women with preeclampsia and 30 normotensive pregnant women. We measured AT1-AA, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1), and serum immunoglobulin G against parvovirus B19 proteins. AT1-AAs were present in 70% of preeclamptic patients and absent in 80% of controls. Prediction by AT1-AA was improved in late-onset preeclampsia. The discrimination for sFlt-1 was 96%. We did not find an interaction between sFlt-1 and AT1-AA. A human monoclonal immunoglobulin G antibody against parvovirus B19 VP2-protein showed a positive reaction in the AT1-AA bioassay, which could be blocked by an AT(1) receptor blocker, as well as by the epitope amino acid sequence. Immunoglobulin G against parvovirus B19 proteins was similarly distributed between preeclamptic patients and controls and had no significant importance. We detected significantly more AT1-AA in women with an immune response corresponding with parvovirus B19 infection corresponding with a distant viral infection associated with virus elimination. We concluded that AT1-AAs were common in patients with preeclampsia in a prospective case-control study, although sFlt-1 was a superior biomarker. AT1-AA may represent a better marker for late disease, whereas sFlt1 is a better marker for early onset disease.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Capsid Proteins / immunology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Female
  • Gestational Age*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Pre-Eclampsia / blood*
  • Pre-Eclampsia / immunology
  • Pregnancy
  • Prospective Studies
  • Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1 / immunology*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / blood*

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Biomarkers
  • Capsid Proteins
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 1
  • capsid protein VP2, parvovirus B19
  • FLT1 protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1