title: Anti-neuronal autoantibody in Hashimoto's encephalopathy: neuropathological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical analysis of two patients.
abstract: Hashimoto's encephalopathy (HE) is thought to be caused by disorders of immune mechanisms. Although immunologically mediated central nervous system vasculitis or unidentified anti-neuronal autoantibodies have been suspected of causing HE, its pathogenesis is still unclear. For the study presented here, two patients with typical clinical and laboratory/electrophysiological findings of HE were analyzed to clarify the role of anti-neuronal autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of HE. The autopsied brain of one of the patients was histopathologically examined. For Western blotting analysis and immunohistochemistry, serum and purified immunoglobulin G obtained from the other patient were used. Autopsy revealed no evidence of central nervous system vasculitis or other abnormal findings in the brain. The patient's serum contained an anti-neuronal autoantibody that immunohistochemically labeled neurons of mouse and human cerebral cortices and reacted with the 36-kDa antigenic protein present in a soluble fraction obtained from human cerebral cortex. Our results indicate that anti-neuronal autoantibodies may be associated with the pathogenesis of HE.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, 3-1-1 Asahi, Matsumoto 390-8621, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oide
authors.forename: Takahiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tokuda
authors.forename: Masahide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yazaki
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watarai
authors.forename: Shigeaki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mitsuhashi
authors.forename: Kazuma
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohara
authors.forename: Shu-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ikeda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008875:Middle Aged; D009474:Neurons / Q000276:immunology*; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G