title: Agrin and low-density lipoprotein-related receptor protein 4 antibodies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.
abstract: The prevalence and characteristics of agrin and low-density lipoprotein-related receptor protein 4 (LRP4) antibody-positive amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients were studied.
  
  
  
  We tested 82 ALS patients and 59 controls for agrin and LRP4 antibodies using enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA).
  
  
  
  We found that 13.8% of ALS patients had agrin antibodies, and 9.8% had LRP4 antibodies. Women with ALS are twice as likely as men to have antibodies. Agrin-positive ALS patients are younger than agrin-negative ALS patients.
  
  
  
  Antibodies to agrin and LRP4 are found in ALS patients. It must be determined whether these antibodies are pathogenic. Because antibody-positive patients have upper as well as lower motor neuron findings, the antibodies' effects cannot be explained solely by their actions at the neuromuscular junction. A breakdown in interneuronal signaling may be the cause of ALS. Further research is needed to resolve this question. Muscle Nerve, 2016 Muscle Nerve 55: 430-432, 2017.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, 30912, USA.
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rivner
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: Siyang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, 30912, USA.
authors.forename: Brandy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Quarles
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, 30912, USA.
authors.forename: Brandi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fleenor
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: Chengyong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: Jinxiu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, 30912, USA.|Department of Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mei
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D018171:Agrin / Q000276:immunology*; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000097:blood*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D018171:Agrin; D001323:Autoantibodies; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL
keywords: ALS; Agrin; LRP4; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; antibodies; low-density lipoprotein-related receptor protein 4