Antigenic targets and pathogenicity of anti-aortic endothelial cell antibodies in takayasu arteritis

Abstract

Anti-endothelial cell antibodies are considered to have an important role in the pathogenesis of Takayasu arteritis (TA). Previously, these antibodies were detected using human umbilical vein endothelial cells, which do not completely represent the antigenicity/functions of aortic endothelial cells, the specific targets in TA. To delineate the precise role of antigenic targets, we investigated such targets as well as the pathogenic mechanism of antibodies directed against aortic endothelial cells (AAECAs) in TA.