Antiglycosphingolipid immune responses in neurology. The Vienna experience with isotypes, subclasses, and disease.
IgM, IgG, IgA, and IgG subclass anti-GM1, anti-GQ1b, and anti-asialo-GM1 (anti-GA1) antibodies, respectively, were investigated by ELISA in serum from neurological and other patients. Increased anti-GM1 occurred mostly in approximately 15-35% of the cases without statistical differences; high percentages were found in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) preceded by gastrointestinal infection and multifocal motor neuropathy. Roughly, IgM anti-GM1 was most frequent; however, distinct IgG and IgA reactions were found i.a. in GBS. A particular IgM anti-mono- and disialoganglioside pattern occurred in a patient with sensorimotor neuropathy and paraproteinemia. Anti-GQ1b was elevated in all Miller-Fisher patients, with some prevalence of IgG2 among IgG subclasses. Cross-reactivity of anti-GQ1b was demonstrated with Campylobacter jejuni lipopolysaccharides. Increased anti-GM1 and/or anti-GA1 was more frequent in systemic lupus erythematosus with central nervous system involvement than without. Incidence of anti-GM1 and anti-GA1 in X-adrenoleukodystrophy was relatively high. Although anti-GSL antibodies seem to have limited diagnostic value, studies of isotypes, subclass patterns, and cross-reactivities may lead to further insight into the origin of (auto) immune responses and their immunepathogenetic role in disease.
Institute of Neurology, University of Vienna, Austria.
B
B
Gatterbauer
A
A
Neisser
H
H
Bernheimer
B
B
Schwerer
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside / Q000276:immunology; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000276:immunology*; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000097:blood*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D010265:Paraproteinemias / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D005732:Gangliosides; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside; C039129:GQ1b ganglioside; C018835:asialo GM1 ganglioside