High affinity of anti-GM1 antibodies is associated with disease onset in experimental neuropathy

COMÍN ROMINA; YUKI NOBUHIRO; LOPEZ PABLO H. H.; NORES GUSTAVO A.

JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH

Año: 2006 vol. 84 p. 1085 - 1090

0360-4012

High antibody affinity has been proposed as a disease determinant factor in neuropathies associated with anti-GM1 antibodies. An experimental model of Guillain-Barré syndrome, induced by immunization of rabbits with bovine brain gangliosides or GM1, was described recently (Yuki et al., 2001. Ann Neurol 49:712-720). We searched plasma from these rabbits, taken at disease onset and one or two weeks prior to onset, for the presence of high-affinity anti-GM1 IgG antibodies. Affinity was estimated by soluble antigen binding inhibition. High-affinity antibodies (binding inhibition by 10-9 M GM1) were detected at disease onset but not before. No such difference was found for other antibody parameters such as titer, fine specificity, and population distribution. These findings support the proposed role of high affinity as an important factor in disease induction by anti-GM1 antibodies.