Preliminary mechanism in fetal alloimmune thrombocytopenia associated with anti-HPA 15b antibodies

Objective Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) is a bleeding disease that can cause fetal hydrops, a rare but life-threatening condition in which abnormal amounts of fluid accumulate in one or two areas of the fetus's body. A case of FNAIT with fetal hydrops caused by anti-HPA-15b antibodies was involved in this study, as we investigated whether or not anti-HPA-15b antibodies can induce endothelial angiogenesis and apoptosis. Methods The monoclonal antibody immobilization of platelet antigens assay (MAIPA) was used to identify anti-HPA-15b antibodies. The three groups in Tube formation and apoptosis assays were the PBS group, the AB serum IgG group, and the anti-HPA-15b serum IgG group, all reacted with HPA-15bb HUVEC. Results The presence of anti-HPA-15b antibodies was found in this case by MAIPA assay. The OD values are 0.33 and 0.21, reacted with HPA-15bb and HPA-15ab platelets, respectively (cutoff OD value = 0.2). Quantitative analysis revealed that the length of capillary-like tube induced by anti-HPA-15b antibodies was significantly decreased over that of AB serum IgG (*p = 0.0005), but weaker than when incubated with thrombin (**p = 0.0009). The apoptosis results show a significantly increased number of apoptotic endothelial cells in the anti-HPA-15b antibody IgG group when compared with the PBS and AB serum IgG groups (*p < 0.0001, **p < 0.0001). In addition, there is no statistical difference between the PBS and AB serum groups. Conclusion Anti-HPA-15b antibodies can inhibit angiogenesis and induce apoptosis. This may associate with hydrops fetalis (HF), or fetal hydrops of FNAIT.