Anti-neural antibodies have been implicated in the pathogenesis of nerve damage in patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome, leprosy, and other motor neuron diseases. Considering exposure of damaged nerve tissue to the immune system during traumatic
injuries, the resulting antineural antibodies formed in patients with nervous system injury may affect the healing process of nerve tissues or induce nerve damage at the injury sites or other sites. To date, however, no information is available
on
the
prevalence of anti-nerual antibodies in sera from patients with traumatic nervous system injury and controls. In this study, serum samples were obtained from 185 patients with traumatic nervous system injry and 291 controls and antibodies were
detected
by an enzyme linked-immunosorbent assay(ELISA) against ceramide, asialo-GM1 (AGM1), and galactocerebroside(GC). The results were then analyzed based on nerve injury sites, severity, and presence or absence of associated injuries, duration after
injury,
etc.
@ES The results obtained were as follows:
@EN 1) The major immunoglobulin class was IgM against the ceramide, GC, and AGM1 antigens in sera from patients with traumatic nervous system injury.
2) Among 185 patients with traumatic nervous system injury, a significant of antibodies were detectable in 75(40.5%) against ceramide, in 71(38.4%) against AGM1, and in 57(30.8%) against GC antigen, respectively. In contrast, of 291 serum
specimens
form controls, 55(18.9%) were reactive with ceramide, 43(14%) with AGM1, and 38(13.0%) with GC, respectively. The seroprevalence of antineural antibodies was thus significantly higher among patients with traumatic nervous system injury than among
controls(p<0.01).
3) There was no significant difference of the prevalence rate and the mean value of antineural antibodies among three patients groups, one with head injury, a second with spinal cord injury, and a third, amputation. However serum antibody
reactivity
was higher in the severe haad injury and incomplete spinal cord injury sub-groups than in those who suffered from other associated injuries.
4) The value of anti-neural IgM antibodies gradually decreased in most patients with traumatic nervous system injury within two to three months after trauma. In about six to ten months after injury, the value of IgM antibodies significantly
decreased
below the normal values of these antibodies.
This study thus showed that patients with traumatic nervous system injury had a significant level of circulating anti-neural antibodies. However, further follow-up studies on these patients are desirable to understand the role of antineural
antibodies
in the pathogenesis of nerve damage.
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