Anti-MOG autoantibodies in Italian multiple sclerosis patients: specificity, sensitivity and clinical association.
There is considerable evidence that multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease characterized by infiltration of inflammatory cells into the CNS and demyelination. Several myelin proteins may be encephalitogenic, including myelin basic protein, proteolipid protein and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), the latter being expressed on the external layer of myelin sheaths and hence accessible to antibody attack. We investigated MOG autoreactivity in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by ELISA, employing the recombinant extracellular domain of MOG as antigen. We tested serum samples from 262 MS patients (175 relapsing-remitting, 43 primary progressive and 44 secondary progressive), 131 patients with other neurological diseases (OND) and 307 healthy controls. No patients or controls were receiving immunomodulating treatments. We found anti-MOG antibodies in the serum of 13.7% MS patients, mainly in those with secondary progressive MS (25%), in 13.7% of OND patients and in 6.2% of controls. We found a direct correlation (R(2) = 0.6, P = 0.002) between disease severity and anti-MOG titer only in patients with primary and secondary progressive MS. Anti-MOG antibodies were present in the CSF of 11.4% MS patients and 18.9% OND patients. Intrathecal synthesis of anti-MOG antibodies was demonstrated in four (4.5%) of MS patients and no OND patients. Anti-MOG antibodies are not specific for MS; however, they may characterize a subset of MS patients and this may be revealed by serial assays in relation to changing disease phase.
Mantegazza
Renato
R
Immunology and Muscular Pathology - Neurology IV, Istituto Nazionale Neurologico 'Carlo Besta', Milan, Italy. rmantegazza@istituto-besta.it
Cristaldini
Piercarlo
P
Bernasconi
Pia
P
Baggi
Fulvio
F
Pedotti
Rosetta
R
Piccini
Ilaria
I
Mascoli
Nerina
N
La Mantia
Loredana
L
Antozzi
Carlo
C
Simoncini
Ornella
O
Cornelio
Ferdinando
F
Milanese
Clara
C
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D020274:Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D007558:Italy; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D043025:Oligoclonal Bands / Q000032:analysis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013131:Spine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C571326:MOG protein, human; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D043025:Oligoclonal Bands; D011994:Recombinant Proteins