Research on antiganglioside antibody-associated nerve injury: pathophysiology and novel treatment

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24591282
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurology
• Research Institution: National Defense Medical College
• Principal Investigator: Kaida Kenichi 防衛医科大学校(医学教育部医学科進学課程及び専門課程、動物実験施設、共同利用研究, 医学教育部医学科専門課程, 准教授 (40531190)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ONOUE Hiroyuki 防衛医科大学校, その他部局等, 助教 (10392440)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): KAMAKURA Keiko 東京工科大学, 医療保険学部, 教授 (30092183) ; KUSUNOKI Susumu 近畿大学, 医学部, 教授 (90195438)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: antibody / neuropathy / ganglioside / ganglioside complex / complement / Guillain-Barre syndrome

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We studied pathogenic roles of anti-glycolipid antibodies in Guillain-Barre; syndrome (GBS), which showed a positive correlation between the antibody activities and complement-activation capacity. Clinical analyses of GBS with autonomic dysfunction revealed that patients with dysautonomia were characterized by cranial nerve deficits, severe disability with frequent artificial ventilation, and electrodiagnostic findings indicative of demyelination. Fluctuating hypertension and vesicorectal disturbance were most frequent autonomic symptoms. Antibodies to neurofascin (NF) 155 were positive in 10% of GBS patients without anti-glycolipid antibodies, although the IgG subclass of anti-NF155 was IgG2. Ten percent of patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy had IgG4 anti-NF155 antibodies, who were featured by younger onset, tremor, prominent high levels of cerebrospinal fluid protein, and negative results of anti-glycolipid antibodies.

Free Research Field

神経免疫学