title: Cerebrospinal fluid autoantibodies to myelin basic protein in multiple sclerosis patients. Detection during first exacerbations and kinetics of acute relapses and subsequent convalescent phases.
abstract: In order to determine if free (F) and bound (B) levels of autoantibodies to myelin basic protein (anti-MBP) are present from the onset of multiple sclerosis (MS), 201 patients referred to our clinic were clinically divided into a group diagnosed as having an initial MS relapse and a group of non-MS controls. Ninety-four of 106 patients thought to have an initial MS relapse had increased CSF anti-MBP, while only 14 of 95 controls had elevated antibody levels; 9 of these 14 positive controls were subsequently shown to have MS by magnetic resonance imaging and/or clinical follow-up. CSF anti-MBP was more frequently abnormal than 3 estimates of intrathecal IgG synthesis in the group with suspected MS. Kinetics of F and B CSF anti-MBP were determined in a group of 29 patients with clinically definite MS during an acute relapse and 97.4 +/- 54 days later in the subsequent convalescent phase when in clinical remission. F and B anti-MBP levels were highly dependent on the timing of the CSF sampling; generally, as patients entered into clinical remission F anti-MBP declined, B antibody levels rose and F/B anti-MBP ratios initially above unity gradually declined towards zero. These data suggest that anti-MBP may be involved in the mechanism of MS.
authors: Multiple Sclerosis Patient Care and Research Clinic, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors: K G
authors: KG
authors: Warren
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Catz
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D003289:Convalescence; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein