title: Humoral immune activation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.
abstract: There is evidence that immunological factors may involved in the pathogenetic mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Few studies to date have explored the status of the humoral immune response in patients with ALS. We examined the presence of humoral immune activation in ALS patients, serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA and IgM) levels were measured in 36 patients with ALS and 35 normal controls. Serum IgG, IgM and IgA levels were not significantly different in our ALS patients compared with the control group (P=ns). No correlations of serum IgG, IgM and IgA concentrations with duration, severity of the disease or the clinical form of onset (bulbar or spinal) were found in our ALS patients. Our results do not suggest a humoral immune activation in ALS patients. This does not exclude that immunological mechanisms may be involved in ALS pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, Athens National University, School of Medicine;
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rentzos
authors.forename: Maria Eleftheria
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Evangelopoulos
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sereti
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zouvelou
authors.forename: Styliani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marmara
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alexakis
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Evdokimidis
keywords: IgA; IgG; IgM; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; humoral immune activation.