Some antiphospholipid antibodies bind to various serine proteases in hemostasis and tip the balance toward hypercoagulant states.

The body has an elaborate system that maintains blood circulation and rapidly stops bleeding when vessels are damaged. Abnormalities that disrupt this balance may lead to thrombosis. While beta(2)-glycoprotein I is generally accepted as the major antigen for antiphospholipid antibodies in the antiphospholipid syndrome, our accumulated studies show that some antiphospholipid antibodies bind homologous enzymatic domains of several serine proteases involved in hemostasis and fibrinolysis. Functionally, some of the protease-reactive antiphospholipid antibodies hinder anticoagulant regulation and resolution of clots, thus tip the balance toward thrombosis. Intriguingly, several serine protease-reactive antiphospholipid antibodies also react with beta(2)-glycoprotein I, and interactions between antiphospholipid antibodies and antigens are cross-inhibited, indicating that these antiphospholipid antibodies recognize conformational epitope(s) on beta(2)-glycoprotein I and target serine proteases. Viewed as a whole, these results extend previous reports that antiphospholipid antibodies bind to various hemostasis factors, and provide a new perspective about some antiphospholipid antibodies in terms of their binding specificities and related functional properties in promoting thrombosis. Lupus (2010) 19, 365-369.