Motor nerve damage is associated with anti-ganglioside antibodies in diabetes.
Few reports exist on the association between the humoral immune response to glycolipids and neuropathic findings in diabetes. To address this issue, we assayed serum anti-GM1, GD1b, GD1a, and sulfatides IgG and IgM in a group of 85 non-selected diabetic patients, and correlated these antibodies to clinical and electrophysiological findings. Diabetic patients had higher mean titers of anti-GM1 (IgM), GD1b, GD1a, and sulfatide (IgG) antibodies when compared to healthy controls. Patients with a positive titer of anti-ganglioside antibodies had significant alterations of motor conduction parameters. The statistical significance increased when considering those patients with both anti-ganglioside reactivity and a high value for glycosylated hemoglobin. Production of antibodies to ganglioside may follow the exposure of hidden motor nerve epitopes in damaged motor nerves and contribute to the neuropathy.
Matà
Sabrina
S
Neurological Clinic, Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. masa@unifi.it
Betti
Elisabetta
E
Masotti
Giulio
G
Pinto
Francesco
F
Lolli
Francesco
F
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000145:classification; D003710:Demography; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology
D000906:Antibodies; D005732:Gangliosides; D007136:Immunoglobulins