title: Cells secreting anti-MAG antibody occur in cerebrospinal fluid and bone marrow in patients with polyneuropathy associated with M component.
abstract: Occurrence and distribution of cells secreting antibodies against myelin associated glycoprotein (MAG) were studied in 9 patients with polyneuropathy associated with the monoclonal (M) component in serum. Utilizing an immunospot assay, we found that 4 of 7 patients with polyneuropathy associated with an IgM M component had cells secreting anti-MAG IgM antibody in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) numbering between 1 per 212 and 1 per 3333 mononuclear cells. All 7 patients had cells secreting anti-MAG IgM antibody in bone marrow (median value 1 per 2000 cells). In contrast, peripheral blood from only 2 of these patients contained low numbers of such cells. One patient with polyneuropathy associated with an IgA M component had cells secreting anti-MAG IgA antibody in CSF, and 1 with an IgG M component had cells secreting anti-MAG IgG antibody in CSF; both patients also had anti-MAG IgM antibodies detectable in CSF only by ELISA. These 2 patients may thus have concurrent intrathecal production of antibodies of 2 different isotypes which are directed against the same or different epitopes of MAG. The production of antibodies directed against a component of myelin occurring in the immediate vicinity of the peripheral nervous system might be involved in the pathogenesis of the polyneuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baig
authors.forename: Y P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Olsson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Link
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000032:analysis; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009185:Myelin Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein