title: Autoimmunity and ALS: studies on antibodies to acetylcholinesterase in sera.
abstract: The involvement of the immune system in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is controversial. It has been suggested that ALS patients develop specific antibodies against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and that these antibodies by retrograde axonal transport may be the cause of death of the spinal motor neurons. It has also been argued that these antibodies elicit hemolysis of erythrocytes. However, using recombinant human AChE as antigen in ELISA and Western blot analysis, we have been unable to find any evidence for the existence of specific AChE antibodies in ALS patients.
authors.affiliation: National Defence Research Establishment, Department of NBC Defence, Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Häggström
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hjalmarsson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Binzer
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Forsgren
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015551:Autoimmunity; D015153:Blotting, Western; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012494:Sampling Studies
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase