Experimental Guillain-Barré syndrome: Role of the carrier protein KLH

FUNES SC; NORES GA; CHIARI ME

Congreso; LII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Bioquímica y Biología Molecular (SAIB); 2016

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is considered a neuropathy associated with anti-gangliosides (Gg) antibodies (Ab). Little is known about the mechanisms involved in the origin of these Ab. Rabbits immunized with a single dose of an emulsion containing bovine brain Gg (BBG), KLH and complete Freund adjuvant develops the disease. In this study 4 groups of rabbits were immunized with the following mixtures. Group 1: KLH and BBG Group 2: BSAm and BBG Group 3: two emulsions, one with BSAm and BBG and another with KLH Group 4: KLH. All animals in Group 1 and 3 developed the neuropathy; however no animal became ill in Group 2. In animals on the Group 4 anti-GA1 Ab were detected, probably because the KLH possess a determinant also present in some Gg. These Ab are 100% cross-reactive with KLH, unlike Ab detected in Group 1, which are partially blocked and whose percent of cross reactivity changes over time. This would indicate a change of specificity, which was associated with the onset of neuropathy. Furthermore, a high percentage of anti-GA1 high affinity Ab in pre-immune serum was associated with an early onset of neuropathy. Two conclusions arise 1) In addition to Gg, KLH is a requirement for disease triggering and it would play a key role as specific and non-specific stimulator. 2) Anti-GA1 high affinity Ab on preimmune serum could be established as a possible "host susceptibility factor".