Cerebrospinal BAFF and Epstein-Barr virus-specific oligoclonal bands in multiple sclerosis and other inflammatory demyelinating neurological diseases.
We measured circulating serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of B lymphocyte activating factor of the tumour necrosis factor superfamily (BAFF), and determined total and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific oligoclonal IgG bands (OCBs) in 43 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), 23 patients with other inflammatory demyelinating neurological diseases, and 20 patients with non-inflammatory neurological diseases. Serum and CSF BAFF concentrations did not differ in the three studied groups. In MS, the highest BAFF concentrations were found in the CSF samples with more than 6 OCBs (233.1 ± 129.5 vs 79.2 ± 51.6 pg/mL in the samples with less than 7 OCBs, p<0.0001). Irrespectively from BAFF levels, EBV-specific OCBs were detected in MS and in the other non-inflammatory and inflammatory demyelinating neurological diseases, with a similar frequency, and as a 'mirror pattern' in 30 of 33 EBV-specific OCB-positive cases (p<0.0001). These results indicate that circulating CSF BAFF concentrations cannot help differentiate MS from other inflammatory demyelinating neurological diseases, but positively associates with the qualitative expression of elevated intrathecal IgG production in MS, and that the oligoclonal EBV-specific antibody response, when present, is mostly systemic in all the studied neurological patients, and not preferentially restricted to MS.
Laboratory of Neuroimmunology, IRCCS National Neurological Institute C Mondino, University of Pavia, Italy. diego.franciotta@mondino.it
Diego
D
Franciotta
Anna Luisa
AL
Di Stefano
Sven
S
Jarius
Elisabetta
E
Zardini
Eleonora
E
Tavazzi
Clara
C
Ballerini
Enrico
E
Marchioni
Roberto
R
Bergamaschi
Mauro
M
Ceroni
D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000276:immunology; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology; D043025:Oligoclonal Bands / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D001323:Autoantibodies; D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D043025:Oligoclonal Bands; C505719:TNFSF13B protein, human