PMID: 8464986Feb 1, 1993Paper

Antibodies to gangliosides in Guillain-Barré syndrome: specificity and relationship to clinical features

The Quarterly Journal of Medicine
N A GregsonR A Hughes

Abstract

Antibodies to ganglioside GM1 have been associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome. To clarify their role we have studied their frequency, fine specificity and relationship to clinical features in a series of patients with this disease. Antibodies to ganglioside GM1 were identified, by both enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and binding to thin-layer chromatograms of human brain, in 12 (28.6%) of 42 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome and in only 1 (2.4%) of 41 normal control subjects (p = 0.002). Eight sera contained IgM antibodies and six sera contained IgG antibodies, including 2 sera which contained both. The fine specificity of the sera varied. Only four of the 12 sera also showed reactivity with ganglioside GD1b and gangliotetraosyl-ceramide (asialo-GM1), consistent with reactivity with the terminal Gal beta 1-3GalNAc disaccharide. Two sera had low titre anti-asialo-GM1 antibodies of a different class to the anti-ganglioside GM1 antibodies. The antibodies in these sera therefore react with a variety of epitopes. There was a strong relationship between the presence of anti-ganglioside GM1 antibodies in the acute stage and prolonged disability, especially if IgG antibodies were present. Seven of 12 patients with anti-ganglios...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Campylobacteriosis

Campylobacteriosis is caused by the bacteria Campylobacter jejuni and is a common cause of gastroenteritis in humans. Discover the latest research on Campylobacteriosis here.

Antibody Specificity

Antibodies produced by B cells are highly specific for antigen as a result of random gene recombination and somatic hypermutation and affinity maturation. As the main effector of the humoral immune system, antibodies can neutralize foreign cells. Find the latest research on antibody specificity here.

Campylobacteriosis (ASM)

Campylobacteriosis is caused by the bacteria Campylobacter jejuni and is a common cause of gastroenteritis in humans. Discover the latest research on Campylobacteriosis here.