CSF antibody to myelin basic protein. Measurement in patients with multiple sclerosis and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis
H. S. Panitch, C. J. Hooper and K. P. Johnson
A solid phase radioimmunoassay was used to detect antibodies to myelin
basic protein (MBP) in the CSF of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and
subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). F(ab')2 fragments prepared from
SSPE IgG retained their activity, which showed that the assay measures a
true antigen-antibody reaction rather than nonspecific adherence to IgG to
MBP. Samples of CSF from 48 patients with MS and 30 patients with SSPE were
tested and, in both conditions, antibody activity was significantly greater
than in controls, when tested at identical IgG concentrations. In MS,
levels of antibody were highest in patients with acute exacerbations and
lower in patients in remission, which supported the hypothesis that
autoimmunity to a myelin antigen may play a role in the pathogenesis of the
disease. The reaction with MBP was consistently more pronounced in SSPE
than in MS. In view of the association of SSPE with measles virus and the
presence of high titers of measles antibody in the CSF, antibodies to
measles and to MBP may be directed against similar antigenic determinants.
