title: Expression of HLA-DR in peripheral nerve of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
abstract: To investigate the possibility of local antigen presentation within the peripheral nerve in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), cryostat sections of 83 peripheral nerve biopsies were stained for the demonstration of HLA-DR using a monoclonal antibody. Forty samples showed increased expression of HLA-DR in endoneurium. The phenotypic characteristics of the HLA-DR positive cells are chiefly Schwann cells, using S-100 protein as a marker. We did not detect any co-expression between HLA-DR and NF (axons) and HLA-DR and myelin marker. We also detected co-expression between HLA-DR and NGFr in a majority of HLA-DR positive cells. Inflammatory cells were infrequent, being detected only in 11 cases, predominantly around epineurial blood vessels. Motor and sensory nerve biopsies performed simultaneously showed higher expression of HLA-DR in motor nerves in 2 out of 4 patients. The significance of these findings is not clear. The presence of endoneurial cells expressing HLA-DR suggests that an autoimmune mechanism may be involved in ALS having Schwann as the main target.
authors.affiliation: Disciplina de Neurologia da Escola Paulista de Medicina, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Isozaki
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Younger
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gabbai
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Hays
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology*; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens