Autoimmune Epilepsy: Some Epilepsy Patients Harbor Autoantibodies to Glutamate Receptors and dsDNA on both Sides of the Blood-brain Barrier, which may Kill Neurons and Decrease in Brain Fluids after Hemispherotomy. Issue 3 (2004)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ganor, Yonatan; Goldberg-Stern, Hadassa; Amrom, Dina; Lerman-Sagie, Tally; Teichberg, Vivian I.; Pelled, Dori; Futerman, Anthony H.; Ben Zeev, Bruria; Freilinger, Michael; Verheulpen, Denis; Van Bogaert, Patrick; Levite, Mia
• Is Part Of: Clinical & developmental immunology. Volume 11:Issue 3/4(2004)
• Page Start: 241
• Page End: 252
• Publication Date: 2004
• Subjects: Developmental immunology -- Periodicals; Clinical immunology -- Periodicals; Immune System -- immunology -- Periodicals; Immune System -- growth & development -- Periodicals; Immune System Diseases -- immunology -- Periodicals; 571.9638
• DOI: 10.1080/17402520400001736
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1740-2522

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose : Elucidating the potential contribution of specific autoantibodies (Ab's) to the etiology and/or pathology of some human epilepsies. Methods : Six epilepsy patients with Rasmussen's encephalitis (RE) and 71 patients with other epilepsies were tested for Ab's to the –B— peptide (amino acids 372-395) of the glutamate/AMPA subtype 3 receptor (GluR3B peptide), double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), and additional autoimmune disease-associated autoantigens, and for the ability of their serum and cerebrospinal-fluid (CSF) to kill neurons. Results : Elevated anti-GluR3B Ab's were found in serum and CSF of most RE patients, and in serum of 17/71 (24%) patients with other epilepsies. In two RE patients, anti-GluR3B Ab's decreased drastically in CSF following functional-hemispherotomy, in association with seizure cessation and neurological improvement. Serum and CSF of two RE patients, and serum of 12/71 (17%) patients with other epilepsies, contained elevated anti-dsDNA Ab's, the hallmark of systemic-lupus-erythematosus. The sera (but not the CSF) of some RE patients contained also clinically elevated levels of –classical— autoimmune Ab's to glutamic-acid-decarboxylase, cardiolipin, β2-glycoprotein-I and nuclear-antigens SS-A and RNP-70. Sera and CSF of some RE patients caused substantial death of hippocampal neurons. Conclusions : Some epilepsy patients harbor Ab's to GluR3 and dsDNA on both sides of the blood-brain barrier, and additional autoimmune Ab's only in serum. Since all these Ab's may be detrimental to the nervous system and/or peripheral organs, we recommend testing for their presence in epilepsy, and silencing their activity in Ab-positive patients.