An improved diagnostic assay for Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome.
A new immunoprecipitation assay has been established for detecting antibodies to voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) in Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS), using 125I-omega-conotoxin MVIIC, which binds to P-type VGCCs, to label extracts of human cerebellum. Fifty six of 66 serum samples (85%) from patients with clinically and electrophysiologically definite LEMS were positive for the presence of VGCC antibodies, defined as a titre > 3 SD above the mean for the healthy controls (n = 10). All disease controls (n = 40) were negative. This sensitive immunoassay should prove valuable in the diagnosis of LEMS.
Motomura
M
M
Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
Johnston
I
I
Lang
B
B
Vincent
A
A
Newsom-Davis
J
J
D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D001665:Binding Sites; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000276:immunology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015941:Complement Hemolytic Activity Assay; D046508:Culture Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015624:Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged
D000906:Antibodies; D015220:Calcium Channels; D007074:Immunoglobulin G