title: Monospecific high-affinity and complement activating anti-GM1 antibodies are determinants in experimental axonal neuropathy.
abstract: It has been difficult to replicate consistently the experimental model of axonal Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). We immunized rabbits with two lipo-oligosaccharides (LOS1 and LOS2) derived from the same C. jejuni strain and purified in a slightly different way. LOS1 did not contain proteins whereas several proteins were present in LOS2. In spite of a robust anti-GM1 antibody response in all animals the neuropathy developed only in rabbits immunized with LOS1. To explain this discrepancy we investigated fine specificity, affinity and ability to activate the complement of anti-GM1 antibodies. Only rabbits immunized with LOS1 showed monospecific high-affinity antibodies which activated more effectively the complement. Although it is not well understood how monospecific high-affinity antibodies are induced these are crucial for the induction of experimental axonal neuropathy. Only a strict adherence to the protocols demonstrated to be successful may guarantee the reproducibility and increase the confidence in the animal model as a reliable tool for the study of the human axonal GBS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Motor Sciences, Institute of Aging (CeSI), University G. D'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Notturno
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Del Boccio
authors.forename: Mirella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luciani
authors.forename: Christina Michaela
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Caporale
authors.forename: Damiana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pieragostino
authors.forename: Vincenza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Prencipe
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sacchetta
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uncini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies; D001369:Axons / Q000473:pathology*; D001666:Binding Sites, Antibody / Q000276:immunology; D002169:Campylobacter Infections / Q000150:complications; D016123:Campylobacter jejuni / Q000472:pathogenicity; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D016537:Gangliosidosis, GM1 / Q000276:immunology*; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D003165:Complement System Proteins