Cambridge Theranostics has identified one of the main causes of atherogenic lipid oxidation. CTL found that most, if not all patients with atherosclerosis, have a type of antibody that can interact with LDL and cause its oxidation; a class of circulating antibodies that exhibit lipid oxidising catalytic activity. These catalytic antibodies, ‘AtheroAbzymes’, generate damage in plasma lipoproteins, leading to their deposition on the arterial wall and hence the triggering and progression of atherosclerosis.

Thus AtheroAbzymes are a primary active element in atherogenesis, and high levels of AtheroAbzymes will result in the production of atherogenic lipids, even in patients with relatively low plasma lipid levels. Detection of AtheroAbzymes can therefore give a unique insight into active atherogenesis and the means of limiting the progression of disease associated with it. CTL has now developed a diagnostic test that measures AtheroAbzyme^®/TM activity. This can be used to monitor patients taking Ateronon and may also be used to screen for individuals that are at risk of developing atherosclerosis; at present half of all deaths from heart attack or stroke occur in asymptomatic patients. A number of diagnostic tests currently in use measure plasma levels of lipids (unoxidised) and several current therapies are directed towards lowering the level of lipids, especially LDL cholesterol. However, while lipid lowering therapies can be of benefit, a high proportion of death and coronary events occur in patients without a history of raised cholesterol.

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The AtheroAbzyme^®/TM ELISA can be used for:

• Detection of antibodies with lipid oxidising activity in patients with symptomatic or asymptomatic ischaemia, coronary heart diseases and other clinical forms of complications of atherosclerosis.
• Identification of individuals at risk of developing diseases caused by the oxidation of lipids.
• Identification of effective theraputic treatments.
• Follow-up of treatment schemes.
• To monitor the effects of inhibitors of lipid oxidising antibodies.
  
  
  

The AtheroAbzyme ELISA marketed as a CE marked in vitro diagnostic test for use by physicians to detect and measure the active atherogenic process , even in asymptomatic forms, and assess the risk and progression of atherosclerotic disease in patients. The physician should interpret the results in light of the patient’s history, physical findings and other diagnostic procedures.

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Principle of the Assay

The AtheroAbzyme assay kit contains an immobilised lipid antigen which acts as a substrate for AtheroAbzyme and is destroyed by it. Other, non-catalytic antibodies in the serum bind to the lipid antigen but, when AtheroAbzyme is present, the target antigen is partially destroyed and the amount of measured antibody binding is therefore lowered. AtheroAbzyme activity is determined by comparing the amount of antibody binding to the target antigen using an untreated serum sample with the amount of binding by the same serum sample that has been treated to inhibit AtheroAbzyme activity. The difference between the two values provides a measure of the amount of active AtheroAbzyme present in the serum sample.

AtheroAbzymes occur as IgG, IgA and IgM forms of immunoglobulin. CTL produces AtheroAbzyme test kits for each of these forms. For complete technical details, please see the kit Manuals.

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Clinical validation of the AtheroAbzyme ELISA

The table below illustrates both the clinical validation of the AtheroAbzyme IgG ELISA and also its utility for diagnosing patients at risk of serious cardiovascular events who are otherwise asymptomatic. The great majority of patients with diagnosed serious atherosclerosis-related diseases tested positive for AtheroAbzymes, whereas they were only found in 16% of a similar group of patients attending clinics for non-atherosclerosis conditions.

¹Control are age and sex matched patients attending clinics for non-atherosclerosis-related diseases, including diabetes.

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