title: Can antiglycolipid antibodies present in HIV-infected individuals induce immune demyelination?
abstract: Of the eight clinically defined neuropathies associated with HIV infection, there is compelling evidence that acute and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (IDPN) have an autoimmune pathogenesis. Many non-HIV infected individuals who suffer from sensory-motor nerve dysfunction have autoimmune indicators. The immunopathogenesis of demyelination must involve neuritogenic components in myelin. The various antigens suspected to play a role in HIV-seronegative IDPN include (i) P2 protein; (ii) sulfatide (GalS); (iii) various gangliosides (especially GM1); (iv) galactocerebroside (GalC); and (v) glycoproteins or glycolipids with the carbohydrate epitope glucuronyl-3-sulfate. These glycoproteins or glycolipids may be individually targeted, or an immune attack may be raised against a combination of any of these epitopes. The glycolipids, however, especially GalS, have recently evoked much interest as mediators of immune events underlying both non-HIV and HIV-associated demyelinating neuropathies. The present review outlines the recent research findings of antiglycolipid antibodies present in HIV-infected patients with and without peripheral nerve dysfunction, in an attempt to arrive at some consensus as to whether these antibodies may play a role in the immunopathogenesis of HIV-associated inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Department of Anatomical Pathology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. petratos@wehi.edu.au
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petratos
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Gonzales
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000276:immunology; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D005732:Gangliosides; D006017:Glycolipids; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids