Antiphospholipid syndrome in pregnancy--animal models and clinical implications

The antiphospholipid (APS) syndrome frequently includes severe pregnancy complications such as fetal wastage and recurrent spontaneous abortions. Animal models for APS in pregnancy can provide both an understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms of anti-phospholipid antibodies (aPL), and aid in the evaluation of various therapeutic modalities in APS. Animal models for APS include both spontaneously developed diseases, as is the case for secondary APS in mice with another autoimmune disease, and induced models of APS. The latter includes either passive induction of disease by antibodies infusion, or active induction via manipulation of the idiotypic network. This article summarizes the literature reports of animal models of APS in pregnancy, deal with the various possible mechanisms of action of aPL in pregnancy, and discuss the treatment options of women having pregnancy complications of APS.