Acute optic neuritis: myelin basic protein and proteolipid protein antibodies, affinity, and the HLA system.
Anti-myelin basic protein, anti-proteolipid protein, and anti-myelin basic protein peptide (amino acid residues 1-20, 63-88, and 89-101) antibody-secreting cells were studied in 20 patients with idiopathic optic neuritis, 20 with optic neuritis as part of multiple sclerosis, and 20 neurological control subjects. Antibody-secreting cells were enumerated with an immunospot assay; the relative binding affinity of the antibodies was estimated by elution with thiocyanate. Patients with optic neuritis had more anti-myelin basic protein and anti-proteolipid protein antibodies than did control subjects (both p < 0.05); there was no difference between idiopathic optic neuritis and optic neuritis as a symptom of multiple sclerosis. Presence of the multiple sclerosis-associated DRB1*1501 gene was not associated with preferential synthesis of high-affinity antibodies reactive with a single myelin basic protein peptide or with preferential synthesis of either anti-myelin basic protein or anti-proteolipid protein antibodies. The results demonstrate a potential for intrathecal synthesis of both anti-myelin basic protein and anti-proteolipid protein antibodies of high apparent affinity in patients with optic neuritis.
Department of Neurology, University of Copenhagen, Glostrup Hospital, Denmark.
F
F
Sellebjerg
H O
HO
Madsen
J L
JL
Frederiksen
L P
LP
Ryder
A
A
Svejgaard
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000915:Antibody Affinity / Q000276:immunology; D000918:Antibody Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D000921:Antibody-Producing Cells / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D018991:Myelin Proteolipid Protein / Q000276:immunology*; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D006680:HLA Antigens; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D018991:Myelin Proteolipid Protein