Background: Autoantibodies to cardiolipin-β 2-glycoprotein I complex have been linked with the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, characterized by arterial and venous thrombosis and recurrent pregnancy losses. Several studies have suggested a genetic predisposition of the development of these antibodies.
Cases: We report a pair of identical twins who were positive for heterogeneous antiphospholipid antibodies. Both of them were positive for anticardiolipin-β 2-glycoprotein I antibodies and VDRL, however, only twin 1 had prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time and lupus anticoagulant. They shared the HLA haplotype that included the class II antigens DR4, DQ8, which have previously been reported the association with antiphospholipid antibody production. Conclusion: Our report suggests that genetic contributions are not the sole determinant of autoantibody production in antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. The involvement of environ-mental factors may be suggested.

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We evaluated quantitative and qualitative alterations of luteal macrophages (LMPs) recovered from the rabbit ovaries in different luteal phases. Corpora lutea (CLs) were formed by superovulation using eCG and hCG. The day of hCG injection was designated as day 0 of pseudopregnancy (PSP 0). The collection of LMPs performed respectively in functional luteal phase (PSP 7), regressive luteal phase (PSP 16) and PSP 19 as a period within luteal atresia (corpora albicantia formation). We calculated that the number of LMP collected from one ovary divided by the number of CLs was equal to the number of LMPs per CL. To investigate qualitative alteration of LMP from each luteal phase, phagocytic activities of isolated LMPs to seep erythrocytes (sRBC) and opsonized sRBC (osRBC) was also examined. These activities were shown in phagocytosis index (PI). Significant (p<0.05) large number of LMPs per CL could be obtained in PSP16 as compared in PSP7 and in PSP19. Marked high PI to osRBC was also observed in PSP16. These results suggest that LMP concern in luteolysis with immuno-reactivity to luteal components.

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