Anti-GM1 ganglioside antibodies in Parkinson's disease.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether anti-GM1 antibodies are increased in Parkinson's disease (PD).


METHODS
Serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG anti-GM1 antibodies were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 147 patients with PD and in 186 age-matched normal control subjects. Sera were assayed at initial dilution of 1:800 for IgM and 1:200 for IgG and were considered positive at absorbance values exceeding the value of 0.05 for IgM and 0.1 for IgG.


RESULTS
Forty patients with PD (27.2%) had sera positive for IgM anti-GM1 antibodies, whereas only five normal controls (2.7%) resulted positive (P < 0.0001). Most of patients (75%) with positive sera had a tremor-dominant form of PD. Only two patients with PD (1.4%) and none of normal controls had sera positive for IgG anti-GM1 antibodies.


CONCLUSIONS
A consistent portion of parkinsonians, mainly with a tremor-dominant form of PD, may have increased circulating IgM anti-GM1 antibodies.
Zappia
M
M
Institute of Neurology, University of Catanzaro, Catanzaro, Italy.
Crescibene
L
L
Bosco
D
D
Arabia
G
G
Nicoletti
G
G
Bagalà
A
A
Bastone
L
L
Napoli
I D
ID
Caracciolo
M
M
Bonavita
S
S
Di Costanzo
A
A
Gambardella
A
A
Quattrone
A
A
D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012698:Serologic Tests; D014202:Tremor / Q000209:etiology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside