Antiendothelial cell antibodies as the tip of the iceberg: What is hidden underneath?

A system analysis of the published data on antiendothelial cell antibodies (AECAs) was performed. The AECAs target antigens on endothelial cells are characterized, the methodology of revealing AECAs is described, and the role of antibodies in the pathogenesis of processes caused by the activation/dysfunction of endothelium is considered. The review summarizes the present-day results of Russian and international studies published in the last 25 years in the Pubmed, High Wire, and e-Library databases. The characteristics of natural and disease-associated AECAs (related to pathology) and mechanisms of their influence on cells in different pathologies are presented.