title: CSF oligoclonal bands in MS include antibodies against Chlamydophila antigens.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Considerable evidence suggests the role of an infectious agent in MS. The presence of Chlamydophila pneumoniae in CSF from patients with MS was shown earlier; to further examine this association the reactivity of the oligoclonal antibody response in the CSF of patients with MS to C pneumoniae antigens was determined and compared with other antigens.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen patients with MS and 14 control subjects with other neurologic disease were studied. Affinity-driven immunoblot studies and solid-phase adsorption of CSF oligoclonal bands by elementary body antigens of C pneumoniae, viral antigens (measles and herpes simplex virus-1), bacterial antigen (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus), and heat shock protein-60 were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Affinity-driven immunoblot studies demonstrated reactivity of oligoclonal bands in CSF samples from 16 patients with MS against elementary body antigens of C pneumoniae. None of the control subjects showed a prominent reactivity to elementary body antigens of C pneumoniae. In 14 of 17 patients with MS examined, oligoclonal bands were adsorbed either partially or completely from the CSF by elementary body antigens of C pneumoniae, but not by myelin basic protein, heat shock protein-60, or bacterial or viral antigens. In three patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, adsorption of oligoclonal bands was seen with measles virus antigens but not with elementary body antigens of C pneumoniae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oligoclonal bands in CSF of patients with MS include antibodies against Chlamydophila antigens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Stratton
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sriram
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008297:Male; D008459:Measles virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D043025:Oligoclonal Bands; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D018834:Chaperonin 60; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D043025:Oligoclonal Bands