Anti-GQ1b IgG antibody is associated with ataxia as well as ophthalmoplegia.
Close association between the increase in anti-GQ1b immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody and ophthalmoplegia in Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has been reported. We investigated whether anti-GQ1b IgG antibody also is associated with ataxia, another of the MFS triad. Of 149 patients who had anti-GQ1b IgG antibody without profound weakness, 144 showed ophthalmoplegia (120 showed both ophthalmoplegia and ataxia; 24, ophthalmoplegia without ataxia). In contrast, five showed ataxia without ophthalmoplegia. Some large neurons of the dorsal root ganglia were immunostained with anti-GQ1b monoclonal antibody. Anti-GQ1b IgG antibody may thus be associated with ataxia as well as ophthalmoplegia. Ataxia may be due to its binding to a subset of primary sensory neurons.
Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
S
S
Kusunoki
A
A
Chiba
I
I
Kanazawa
D000906:Antibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D001259:Ataxia / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009886:Ophthalmoplegia / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*
D000906:Antibodies; D005732:Gangliosides; C039129:GQ1b ganglioside