Acute optic neuritis: myelin basic protein and proteolipid protein antibodies, affinity, and the HLA system

• Published in: Annals of neurology Vol. 38; no. 6; p. 943
• Main Authors: Sellebjerg, F, Madsen, H O, Frederiksen, J L, Ryder, L P, Svejgaard, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.1995
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Antibody Affinity - immunology; Antibody Specificity - immunology; Antibody-Producing Cells - immunology; Autoantibodies - immunology; Autoantibodies - metabolism; Binding Sites, Antibody; Female; Histocompatibility Testing; HLA Antigens - immunology; HLA-DQ Antigens - analysis; HLA-DR Antigens - analysis; Humans; Male; Myelin Basic Protein - cerebrospinal fluid; Myelin Basic Protein - immunology; Myelin Proteolipid Protein - immunology; Optic Neuritis - immunology
• ISSN: 0364-5134
• DOI: 10.1002/ana.410380616

Anti-myelin basic protein, anti-proteolipid protein, and anti-myelin basic protein peptide (amino acid residues 1-20, 63-88, and 89-101) antibody-secreting cells were studied in 20 patients with idiopathic optic neuritis, 20 with optic neuritis as part of multiple sclerosis, and 20 neurological control subjects. Antibody-secreting cells were enumerated with an immunospot assay; the relative binding affinity of the antibodies was estimated by elution with thiocyanate. Patients with optic neuritis had more anti-myelin basic protein and anti-proteolipid protein antibodies than did control subjects (both p < 0.05); there was no difference between idiopathic optic neuritis and optic neuritis as a symptom of multiple sclerosis. Presence of the multiple sclerosis-associated DRB1*1501 gene was not associated with preferential synthesis of high-affinity antibodies reactive with a single myelin basic protein peptide or with preferential synthesis of either anti-myelin basic protein or anti-proteolipid protein antibodies. The results demonstrate a potential for intrathecal synthesis of both anti-myelin basic protein and anti-proteolipid protein antibodies of high apparent affinity in patients with optic neuritis.