An autoantibody to human plasma prekallikrein blocks activation of the contact system

A patient without a history of bleeding or thromboembolism presented with an activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) of 55.1 s (normal 24-38 s). Incubation of the patient plasma with an equal volume of normal plasma failed to correct the aPTT, suggesting the presence of an inhibitor. The MRVVT (modified Russell Viper venom time) was normal, and the anti-cardiolipin antibody titres were not elevated, indicating that the presence of a lupus anticoagulant was unlikely. Plasma prekallikrein (PK) measured by a coagulant assay (2 U/dl) was very low, but PK was in the low normal range (approximately 65%) when measured by an enzymatic assay (amidolytic) or by an antigenic assay (ELISA). The purified patient IgG reacted with purified PK, the heavy chain, and the 28 kD fragment of the heavy chain, indicating that it contained an autoantibody to PK. The purified IgG did not directly inhibit the amidolytic activity of kallikrein, but it did inhibit the activation of PK to kallikrein by activated factor XII. Activation of the contact system by dextran sulphate, as reflected by the cleavage of HK on a Western blot, was inhibited when the patient IgG was added to pooled normal plasma. The antibody appears to be oligoclonal with IgG1 being most abundant, followed by IgG4. This report appears to be the first of a spontaneously occurring antibody to prekallikrein.