GANGLIOSIDE COMPLEXES: AUTOANTIBODY TARGETS IN A RABBIT MODEL OF NEUROPATHY

MOYANO ANA L; COMÍN ROMINA; ALANIZ MARÍA E; LARDONE RICARDO D; NORES GUSTAVO A

Mar del Plata

Congreso; XLIII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular; 2007

Sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular

Recent studies showed that some ganglioside complexes (GSCs) aretarget antigens for serum antibodies in patients with GuillainBarrésyndrome (GBS) and suggested that anti-GSC antibodies may beinvolved with particular clinical features of GBS. Conformationalepitopes recognized by these antibodies may be present in neuronalplasma membranes where gangliosides reside clustered infunctional microdomains. Consequently, binding of antibodies toGSCs are likely to cause nerve dysfunction. In this study,we inducedan experimental neuropathy (resembling GBS) by sensitization ofrabbits with bovine brain gangliosides according to the procedure ofYuki et al. (Ann. Neurol. (2001) 49: 712). Rabbit serum sampleswere obtained on the acute-phase of neurological symptoms andscreened for immunoreactivity against glycolipids (GA1, GM1,GD1b, GD1a and GD1b) by thin layer chromatographyimmunostaining. All serum samples displayed typical IgGantibodiesagainst GA1, GM1 and GD1b . In addition to thisreactivity, they also showed IgG-reactivity against GM1/GD1b,GM1/GD1a and GM1/GT1b complexes. These results are the firstdescription of experimental induction of this type of antibodies andprovide new evidences about the role of anti-GSCs antibodies in thedevelopment of neuropathies.