In vitro synthesis of antibodies to myelin antigens by Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B lymphocytes from patients with neurologic disorders

Itzhak Wirguin*, Talma Brenner, Michael Steinitz, Oded Abramsky

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Anti-myelin antibodies can be found in sera from patients with neurologic disorders of suspected immune-mediated pathogenesis such as multiple sclerosis and inflammatory polyneuropathies. However, the specificity of these findings is controversial. In the present study, in vitro synthesis of antibodies to myelin components was compared to their presence in sera in diverse neurological disorders. Epstein-Barr virus was used to activate B lymphocytes for in vitro antibody production. Anti-myelin basic protein and anti-galactocerebroside antibodies were secreted in vitro by B lymphocytes derived from patients with neurological disorders of various etiologies and pathogenetic mechanisms. Anti-myelin basic protein antibodies were detected in many more cell culture supernatants than in sera from the same patients. In vitro secretion of antibodies to myelin antigens, as well as the presence of these antibodies in body fluids, are apparently non-specific for disease type and may be secondary to neural tissue damage.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)92-96
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of the Neurological Sciences
Volume104
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1991

Keywords

  • Anti-galactocerebroside antibodies
  • Anti-myelin basic protein antibodies
  • Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B lymphocytes
  • In vitro antibody production

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