title: Indirect evidence for nitric oxide involvement in multiple sclerosis by characterization of circulating antibodies directed against conjugated S-nitrosocysteine.
abstract: Converging data suggest that nitric oxide (NO) production by cytokine-induced immune cells in demyelinating lesions is involved in multiple sclerosis (MS). High levels of NO may complex to suitable amino acids, causing an immune response against the formed neo-epitopes. By testing MS sera with chemically defined nitroso-amino acids conjugated to carrier protein in ELISA, we observed a significant antibody reaction against the S-nitroso-cysteine epitope. The MS antibody response was exclusively of IgM isotype with an avidity of 8 x 10(-7) M. Sera of all clinical MS forms showed a significantly elevated antibody titer versus sera from healthy subjects or from patients affected with other neurological and autoimmune diseases. The detection of circulating antibodies to a conjugated S-nitroso-cysteine epitope provides indirect evidence for NO involvement in MS.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U394 Neurobiologie intégrative, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Boullerne
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Petry
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meynard
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Geffard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000276:immunology*; D012016:Reference Values; D026403:S-Nitrosothiols
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000939:Epitopes; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D026403:S-Nitrosothiols; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C021315:S-nitrosocysteine; D003545:Cysteine