Anti-GM1 IgG antibodies in Guillain-Barré syndrome: fine specificity is associated with disease severity

LARDONE, RICARDO D; YUKI, NOBUHIRO; ODAKA, MASAAKI; DANIOTTI, JOSE L; IRAZOQUI, FERNANDO J; NORES, GUSTAVO A

B M J PUBLISHING GROUP

Lugar: London; Año: 2010 vol. 81 p. 629 - 629

ACKGROUND: Clinical severity of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is highly variable, but the immunopathological reason is unknown. OBJECTIVE: The study was designed to show which antibody parameters are associated with disease severity in GBS patients with serum anti-GM1 IgG antibodies. METHODS: Thirty-four GBS patients with anti-GM(1) IgG antibodies were grouped into two categories according to disease severity at nadir: mild (grades 1-3 by Hughes functional scale, n=13) and severe (grades 4 and 5, n=21). Titre, affinity, fine specificity and cell binding of anti-GM(1) antibodies were obtained and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: No differences in antibody titre (GM(1)-ELISA) or affinity were found between the two patient groups. In contrast, the severe group showed a significantly higher frequency (95%, vs 46% in the mild group, p=0.002) of specific (not cross-reacting with GD(1b)) anti-GM(1) antibodies. In addition, the severe group also exhibited a higher antibody b