An acquired, calcium-dependent, factor X inhibitor

Acquired factor X (FX) deficiency unrelated to amyloidosis is a rare disorder in which an anti-FX antibody is infrequently detected. A patient with severe bleeding due to a calcium ion-dependent anti-FX IgG antibody is described. The FX affinity purified IgG bound the light chain of FX, but not FX lacking its γ-carboxyglutamic acid domain, and binding was enhanced > 1000-fold in the presence of calcium ions. The antibody also recognized prothrombin and factor VII with about 100-fold and 1000-fold lower affinity. Like a lupus anticoagulant, increasing concentrations of phospholipids in functional assays reduced the inhibitory activity of the antibody. The effect of these properties of the inhibitor on laboratory diagnostic studies is considered.