Antibodies to oxidized low-density lipoprotein and to cardiolipin in nonpregnant and pregnant women with habitual abortion

Abstract

To determine the occurrence of antibodies to oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in women with a history of habitual abortion before and during pregnancy. Immunoglobulin G class antibodies to malondialdehyde modified LDL were determined by a solid-phase ELISA in 42 habitual aborters before pregnancy, in 39 patients during pregnancy, and in 23 comparable nonpregnant and 22 pregnant control women without a history of abortion. In addition, we assessed the presence of anticardiolipin antibodies by ELISA in the same sera. Departments I and II of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Central Hospital of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. Early pregnancy was accompanied by a decrease in the median levels of antibodies to oxidized LDL both in habitual aborters and in the control series. Only one patient exhibited a raised level of antibodies to oxidized LDL before pregnancy but, during pregnancy, nine patients (23%) had elevated levels of antibodies to oxidized LDL, similar to women with a favorable outcome of pregnancy (6/27, 22%) and in women whose current pregnancy also ended in abortion (3/12, 25%). Cardiolipin binding antibodies were detected in three habitual aborters before pregnancy (7%) and in nine women during pregnancy (23%), with a tendency to be more frequent in patients with miscarrying pregnancies than in those with continuing pregnancies (4/12, 33% and 5/27, 19%). Antibodies to oxidized LDL and cardiolipin were simultaneously present in three habitual aborters with continuing pregnancies. Increased levels of antibodies to oxidized LDL and cardiolipin may be associated with habitual abortion.