title: [Peripheral neuropathy in Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia. Antibody activity of monoclonal immunoglobulin M directed against vimentin].
abstract: In two patients with Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia complicated with peripheral neuropathy, purified monoclonal immunoglobulin M showed antibody activity specifically directed against vimentin, a major polypeptide of mesenchymal cell cytoskeleton and therefore in Schwann's cell. The neuropathy was of the sensory-motor type. It was improved in one case by plasma exchanges combined with chemotherapy. The relevance of this original antibody activity to the pathogenesis of neuropathy is discussed.
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology*; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D012583:Schwann Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014746:Vimentin; D008258:Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D014746:Vimentin
vernacular_title: Neuropathie périphérique de la macroglobulinémie de Waldenström. Activité anticorps de l'immunoglobuline M monoclonale dirigée contre la vimentine.