Antibodies to gliomedin cause peripheral demyelinating neuropathy and the dismantling of the nodes of Ranvier.

ABSTRACT: Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) are conditions that affect peripheral nerves. The mechanisms that underlie demyelination in these neuropathies are unknown. Recently, we demonstrated that the node of Ranvier is the primary site of the immune attack in patients with GBS and CIDP. In particular, GBS patients have antibodies against gliomedin and neurofascin, two adhesion molecules that play a crucial role in the formation of nodes of Ranvier. We demonstrate that immunity toward gliomedin, but not neurofascin, induced a progressive neuropathy in Lewis rats characterized by conduction defects and demyelination in spinal nerves. The clinical symptoms closely followed the titers of anti-gliomedin IgG and were associated with an important

SUBMITTER: Devaux JJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5691341 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature