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Autoantibodies with Antilipoprotein Specificity and Hypolipoproteinemia in Patients with Cancer¹

Institute for Clinical and Experimental Cancer Research of the University of Berne, Tiefenau-Hospital, 3004 Berne [W. R., A. M., S. B.]; Institute for Clinical Protein Research of the University of Berne, Berne [G. N.]; Central Laboratory of the Blood Transfusion Service of the Swiss Red Cross, Berne [R. B.]; and Division of Haematology, University Hospital, Geneva [U. E. N.], Switzerland

Sera from 151 patients with a variety of cancers were screened for antibody-like activity against lipoproteins. Eighteen % of the sera exhibited activity against autologous and homologous high-density lipoproteins and 3% exhibited activity against autologous and homologous low-density lipoproteins. Antibody-like binding was proven by its restriction to the Fab fragment of IgG. The reactive part of the lipoprotein molecule was shown to be the apoprotein. Quantitation of the serum lipoproteins indicated that the high-density lipoprotein concentration in the sera of cancer patients was significantly lower (p < 0.01) when antibody was present. These observations suggest that autoimmune mechanisms may be responsible for the decreased high-density lipoprotein serum levels in some patients with cancer.

¹ Supported by the Swiss National Foundation for Scientific Research.

Received 1/29/73. Accepted 10/22/74.