An increase of blood anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibody in Japanese encephalitis associated with cerebral ischemia

The role of humoral autoimmunity in virus-induced vascular thrombosis is still not clear. We encountered a patient who experienced cerebral ischemia in his early course of Japanese encephalitis. At the beginning, an increase of blood immunoglobulin G isotype of anti-beta(2)-glycoprotein I antibody, a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombocytopenia resembling antiphospholipid antibody syndrome were found, and these abnormalities disappeared when the patient recovered later. A molecular mimicry between the T-2688 LRVLE in Japanese encephalitis virus and hexapeptide-TLRVYK may contribute for the patient's antibeta(2)-glycoprotein I antibody generation. Therefore, an increase of procoagulative antibody, such as anti-beta(2)-glycoprotein I antibody, may display a crucial role for cerebral thrombosis associated with infectious pathogens such as Japanese encephalitis virus. The interaction between autoimmunity induction by infectious agents and procoagulation in the occurrence of vascular thrombosis may be more important than has been understood in previous studies. (C) 2005 Lippincott Williams Wilkins.