Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with IgM antibody against gangliosides GM2 and GD2.
We report a case of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with IgM antibody against gangliosides GM2 and GD2. A 57-year-old woman presented with slowly progressive muscular weakness of the upper extremities and dysarthria. She fulfilled the clinical and electrophysiological criteria of ALS, and died from sudden suffocation about 3 years after the onset of illness. The patient's serum IgM antibody was shown to recognize the structure shared by GM2 and GD2. Since anti-GM2 antibodies have been implicated in motor neuropathy or motor neuron syndrome, this rare case might contribute to the understanding of the immunological aspects of ALS.
Mizutani
Kotaro
K
Department of Neurology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto.
Oka
Nobuyuki
N
Kusunoki
Susumu
S
Kaji
Ryuji
R
Kanda
Masutaro
M
Akiguchi
Ichiro
I
Shibasaki
Hiroshi
H
D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology*; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005678:G(M2) Ganglioside / Q000276:immunology*; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged
D000906:Antibodies; D005732:Gangliosides; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D005678:G(M2) Ganglioside; C019403:ganglioside, GD2