title: Detection of B cell antigens in multiple sclerosis. Use of serum from multiparous women.
abstract: Sera from two multiparous wives of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) were used to detect B cell antigens in other patients. With serum X, 11 of 16 patients were positive as compared with ten of 16 controls (.05 less than P less than .1). With serum Y, a positive response was found in 11 of 16 patients and two of 23 controls (P less than .0005). Ten of the 11 patients who were positive with serum Y were also HLA-Dw2, which suggests that the B cell antigen detected by this serum is linked to Dw2. Three of four Dw2-positive controls were negative with serum Y, which raises two alternative hypothetical possibilities concerning the B cell antigen. These findings indicate that serum from multiparous wives may be an important tool in the investigation of the genetic components associated with MS.
mesh_terms: D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010298:Parity
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D000939:Epitopes; D006680:HLA Antigens