title: Serum anti-GQ1b IgG antibodies recognize surface epitopes on Campylobacter jejuni from patients with Miller Fisher syndrome.
abstract: Three patients who had diarrhea prior to the development of Miller Fisher syndrome are presented. Campylobacter jejuni was isolated from stool specimens from all patients. High titers of anti-GQ1b IgG antibodies were demonstrated in the serum of these patients by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and thin-layer chromatography overlay. In enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay inhibition studies the anti-GQ1b IgG antibodies bound specifically to whole bacteria of the Miller Fisher syndrome-associated C. jejuni strains. The presence of anti-GQ1b IgG binding epitopes on the surface of the C. jejuni from the patients was not exclusively associated with a specific Penner serotype. It is suggested that anti-GQ1b antibodies are formed during the initial infection that elicits Miller Fisher syndrome. The cross-reactivity of anti-GQ1b IgG antibodies with surface epitopes on Miller Fisher syndrome-associated C. jejuni strains supports the hypothesis of molecular mimicry between bacteria and neural tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University Hospital Dijkzigt, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Endtz
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: van der Meché
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hazenberg
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Achtereekte
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: van Doorn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001259:Ataxia / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000276:immunology; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000276:immunology*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D000939:Epitopes; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D018716:Molecular Mimicry; D009886:Ophthalmoplegia / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D005732:Gangliosides; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C039129:GQ1b ganglioside