Elevated levels of anti-CD9 antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.
Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a slowly progressive and highly lethal disease of the central nervous system. Although the primary cause of SSPE is believed to be persistent infection of neuron and glial cells by a measles virus, the precise mechanism of the progression of this disease has not yet been elucidated. CD9, a member of the tetraspanin family, is expressed in myelin and other nervous tissues. This study detected significant amounts of anti-CD9 antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of all patients with SSPE included in the study. Anti-CD9 antibodies were also detected in the CSF of some patients with other neurologic disorders, but those patients had lower levels of anti-CD9 antibodies than did the patients with SSPE. The level of anti-CD9 antibodies was elevated and reached a peak that coincided with the appearance of brain atrophy. These findings shed light on a new aspect of the causes and progression of SSPE.
Shimizu
Toko
T
Institute of Life Science and Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Kurume University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Matsuishi
Toyojiro
T
Iwamoto
Ryo
R
Handa
Kazuyo
K
Yoshioka
Hiroshi
H
Kato
Hirohisa
H
Ueda
Shigeharu
S
Hara
Hideo
H
Tabira
Takeshi
T
Mekada
Eisuke
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000906:Antibodies / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D013344:Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology*; D060245:Tetraspanin 29
D000906:Antibodies; D015703:Antigens, CD; C554869:CD9 protein, human; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D060245:Tetraspanin 29