Figure 3
Antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies bind to foetal brain. Increased C3 deposition, significant reduction in T2* relaxation time and abnormal foetal cortical brain cytoarchitecture in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) mice. (a) Immunohistochemical studies demonstrating positive staining for aPL antibody FB1 in foetal brain tissue from APS mice. Microphotographs represent one of four similar experiments. The brain diagram shows the area of the cortical brain where the microphotographs were taken. (b) T2* values in APS mice that received ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO)-anti-C3. Asterisk (*): T2* values were statistically significantly lower in APS mice injected with USPIO-anti-C3 compared with APS mice that received only USPIO or mouse immunoglobulin G (IgG)-treated mice that received USPIO-anti-C3 (P<0.05 for all the comparisons). (c) Confocal microscope photomicrographs demonstrating the presence of increased C3 deposition in foetal brains in APS mice compared with mIgG-treated control mice. Microphotographs represent one of five similar experiments. The brain diagram shows the area of the cortical brain where the microphotographs were taken. (d) Confocal microscope photomicrographs demonstrating NF200 and MAP-2 staining in the foetal brains in APS mice compared with mouse-IgG treated. Diminished NF200 and MAP-2 staining suggest an abnormal neuronal development. Increased neurodegeneration is also observed in foetal brains in APS mice. Microphotographs represent one of fivesimilar experiments. The brain diagram shows the area of the cortical brain where the microphotographs were taken.
