Methods for diagnosing and treating systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

Described herein are peptides and antibodies for prevention and/or therapeutic treatment of mammals, including humans, against systemic lupus erythematosus, as well as diagnosing the presence or absence of antibodies related to increased or decreased risk of developing SLE and/or to disease grading, staging, and/or prognosis.

1 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . A method of treating, inhibiting, preventing, reducing the severity of, slowing the progression of and/or promoting prophylaxis of a cardiovascular disease in a subject with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) comprising: administering an effective amount of a composition comprising an antibody capable of binding at least one fragment of apolipoprotein B (ApoB) to the subject. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the cardiovascular disease is atherosclerosis. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the antibody binds to at least one native fragment of ApoB. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the antibody binds to at least one malondialdehyde-modified fragment of ApoB, 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the antibody is a human antibody. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the antibody comprises a variable heavy region (V H ) and a variable light region (V L ), wherein the V H  region comprises the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO. 303 and the V L  region comprises the sequence set forth in SEQ ID No. 304. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the antibody is capable of binding at least P45 (SEQ ID NO: 45) of ApoB. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the antibody is capable of binding at least P210 (SEQ ID NO: 210) of ApoB.