Absence of paraneoplastic antineuronal antibodies in sera of 145 patients with motor neuron disease.
BACKGROUND
Well characterised antineuronal antibodies (ANAbs) have been shown to be highly specific markers of neurological syndromes with a paraneoplastic aetiology. Previous reports indicate that pure motor neuron disease (MND) is rarely of paraneoplastic origin.


OBJECTIVE
To screen systematically for the prevalence of well characterised paraneoplastic ANAbs in a large collective of patients with pure MND.


METHODS
In a cohort of 145 patients with MND, the frequency of ANAbs was estimated by ELISA, employing recombinant antigens (HuD, Yo, Ri, CV2/CRMP5, Ma2 and amphiphysin).


RESULTS
None of the sera revealed high antineuronal antigen reactivity. Very low reactivity was detected in only five sera, in all probability representing background activity.


CONCLUSIONS
According to these data, routine analysis for ANAbs in patients with isolated MND is not mandatory.
Stich
Oliver
O
Neurologische Klinik und Poliklinik der Albert-Ludwigs-Universitaet Freiburg, Breisacher Strasse 64, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany.
Kleer
Barbara
B
Rauer
Sebastian
S
D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D009474:Neurons / Q000276:immunology*; D020361:Paraneoplastic Syndromes, Nervous System / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D000906:Antibodies