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Searching for Serum Antibodies to Neuronal Proteins in Patients With ME/CFS (Giannocaro, Fluge et al 2019)

Murph

:)
Messages
1,799
Clin Ther. 2019 Apr 30. pii: S0149-2918(19)30163-8. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2019.04.001. [Epub ahead of print]
Searching for Serum Antibodies to Neuronal Proteins in Patients With Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Giannoccaro MP1, Cossins J2, Sørland K3, Fluge Ø3, Vincent A2.
Author information

Abstract
PURPOSE:
A role for the immune system in causing myalgic encephalopathy/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is long suspected, but few studies have looked for specific autoantibodies that might contribute to the symptoms. Our aim was to look for evidence of antibodies to neuronal proteins in patients with ME/CFS.

METHODS:
Sera samples from 50 patients and 50 healthy individuals were sent coded to the Neuroimmunology Laboratory in Oxford. Screening for antibody binding to neuronal tissue was performed on brain tissue and neuronal cultures. Specific serum antibodies were assessed by antigen-specific cell-based assays and radioimmunoassays. After antibody testing, the associations between seropositive status and clinical data were investigated.

FINDINGS:
Overall, 8 patients and 11 participants were found to have some serum immunoreactivity toward neuronal or neuromuscular junction proteins, but only 1 patient and 2 participants had specific serum antibodies. Nevertheless, seropositive status in patients with ME was associated with shorter duration since onset and a more severe disease.

IMPLICATIONS:
The results indicate no overall increased frequency of antibodies to neuronal proteins in ME/CSF and no evidence of a specific antibody that might be causative or contribute to clinical features in patients. However, the association of seropositive status with shorter duration of disease and more severe symptoms suggests a possible role of antibodies at onset in some patients and should be the focus of future studies.

KEYWORDS:
LRP4; NMDA receptor; antibodies; chronic fatigue syndrome; myalgic encephalopathy; neuronal surface antigens
PMID: 31053295 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2019.04.001
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@Murph Can you translate this for the non-sciency people like me? I am quoting a few parts of the Abstract:

but few studies have looked for specific autoantibodies that might contribute to the symptoms. Our aim was to look for evidence of antibodies to neuronal proteins in patients with ME/CFS.

Does this mean that the study tested for anti neuronal or paraneoplastic autoantibodies (like the Mayo Panels PAVAL or DYS1) or something totally different?

Overall, 8 patients and 11 participants were found to have some serum immunoreactivity toward neuronal or neuromuscular junction proteins

Would neuronal or neuromuscular junction proteins be like those in Myasthenia Gravis or LEMS? I am trying to understand what they were testing for?! :xeyes:
 

Badpack

Senior Member
Messages
382
thanks a lot.

"neuromuscular junction (NMJ; acetylcholine receptor [AChR], muscle specific kinase [MuSK], and leucine-rich protein 4 [LRP4]) and central nervous system (CNS) antigens such as the N-methyl-Daspartate receptor (NMDAR), leucine-rich glioma inactivated 1 (LGI1), and contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2)"

So seems like these where tested.