The putative role of cytokines in the induction of primary anti-phospholipid syndrome in mice

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APLS) is characterized by thrombocytopenia, thromboembolic phenomena and recurrent fetal loss, associated with anti-cardiolipin antibodies (ACA) and/or lupus anticoagulant. The syndrome may be primary or may be associated with other conditions such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this study we induced primary APLS following immunization of BALB/c mice with a human monoclonal ACA (H-3). Analysis of the cytokine profile of the mice with experimental APLS indicated low production of IL-2, IL-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) by concanavalin A (Con A)-stimulated splenocytes of H-3 immunized mice. It seems that the low levels of IL-3 and GM-CSF have a potential role in the fetal loss of the APLS. Whatever the mechanism of IL-3 and GM-CSF in preventing fetal loss, these results may have therapeutic bearing on the reproductive outcome in women and other species with APLS.