Search
Close
Search
Advanced Search
Search Menu
AI Discovery Assistant

Abstract

In experimental animal models of multiple sclerosis demyelinating antibody responses are directed against the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). We have investigated whether a similar antibody response is also present in multiple sclerosis patients. Using the recombinant human extracellular immunoglobulin domain of MOG (MOG-Ig) we have screened the sera and CSFs of 130 multiple sclerosis patients, 32 patients with other inflammatory neurological diseases (OIND), 30 patients with other non-inflammatory neurological diseases (ONND) and 10 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. We report that 38% of multiple sclerosis patients are seropositive for IgG antibodies to MOG-Ig compared with 28% seropositive for anti-myelin basic protein (MBP). In contrast, OIND are characterized by similar frequencies of serum IgG antibody responses to MOG-Ig (53%) and MBP (47%), whereas serum IgG responses to MOG-Ig are rare in ONND (3%) and rheumatoid arthritis (10%). Anti-MBP IgG antibodies, however, are a frequent finding in ONND (23%) and rheumatoid arthritis (60%). Our results provide clear evidence that anti-MOG-Ig antibodies are common in CNS inflammation. However, in OIND these antibody responses are transient, whereas they persist in multiple sclerosis. We demonstrate that the serum anti-MOG-Ig response is already established in early multiple sclerosis (multiple sclerosis-R0; 36%). In later multiple sclerosis stages frequencies and titres are comparable with early multiple sclerosis. In contrast, the frequency of anti-MBP antibodies is low in multiple sclerosis-R0 (12%) and increases during disease progression in relapsing–remitting (32%) and chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (40%), thus suggesting that anti-MBP responses accumulate over time. Finally we provide evidence for intrathecal synthesis of IgG antibodies to MOG-Ig in multiple sclerosis.

multiple sclerosis, autoantibodies, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, myelin basic protein, brain inflammation
ELISA = enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Ig = immunoglobulin, MBP = myelin basic protein, MOG = myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, MOG-Ig = extracellular immunoglobulin domain of MOG, multiple sclerosis-CP = multiple sclerosis, chronic progressive disease course, multiple sclerosis-R0 = multiple sclerosis, first attack, multiple sclerosis-RR = multiple sclerosis, relapsing–remitting disease course, OIND = other inflammatory neurological diseases, ONND = other non-inflammatory neurological diseases, Q-Alb = albumin quotient
© Oxford University Press 1999
Topic:
You do not currently have access to this article.
Download all slides