Antineuronal antibodies in patients with neuroblastoma and paraneoplastic opsoclonus-myoclonus.
OBJECTIVE
To identify serologic markers in children with paraneoplastic opsoclonus-myoclonus (POM).


METHODS
We examined the sera of 64 children with neuroblastoma (16 with POM and 48 age-matched and stage-matched controls) by immunohistochemistry of rat brain and human cerebellum, and by Western blot analysis of protein extracts from human Purkinje cells, cortical neurons, neuroblastoma cell lines, and HuD.


RESULTS
Using immunohistochemistry, IgG reactivity against neurons was identified in 13 of 16 POM sera (81%), and 12 of 48 non-POM sera (25%; P<0.001). IgM antineural antibodies were present in 3 of 16 POM sera (19%) and 11 of 48 (23%) non-POM sera. Except for anti-Hu antibodies detected in 10 sera (4 with POM), no other specific reactivities were identified by Western blot analysis of neuronal or of neuroblastoma protein extracts.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that: 1) patients with neuroblastoma and POM are more likely to harbor antineuronal antibodies than patients without POM; 2) no specific serologic marker of POM was identified, but the frequent presence of antineuronal antibodies suggests that POM is immune-mediated; and 3) anti-Hu antibodies are present in some sera from patients with neuroblastoma, irrespective of the presence of POM.
Antunes
N L
NL
Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Khakoo
Y
Y
Matthay
K K
KK
Seeger
R C
RC
Stram
D O
DO
Gerstner
E
E
Abrey
L E
LE
Dalmau
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000276:immunology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000276:immunology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000276:immunology*; D020361:Paraneoplastic Syndromes, Nervous System / Q000276:immunology*; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats
D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M