Antineural antibody in patients with Tourette’s syndrome and their family members

Abstract

SummaryIt has been proposed that antineural antibodies were present in patients with Tourette's syndrome (TS) and other neuropsychiatric disorders. The purpose of our study was to investigate the presence of antineural antibodies in the individuals with Tourette's syndrome and the family members of TS patients. The sera of four TS patients with no current streptococcal infection, their tic-free family members including father, mother and sibling, and a age-matched control group who were tic free were assayed for antineural antibodies directed against rat tissue and neurons in primary cell culture. There were prominent antineural antibodies present in TS patients and their first-degree family members, but not in the control group. Western blotting showed proteins of about 120 kDa in their sera that were not present in the sera of controls. The preliminary results of our study suggest the importance of genetic vulnerability in the immunological pathophysiology of tic disorders. Future studies should investigate the interactions of genetics, environment, infectious agents, and immunity on symptom expression in families with tic disorders.

Streptococcal infection and immune response in children with Tourette’s syndrome

“…It is currently quite well known that there are positive antibasal ganglia antibodies [14] and prominent antineural antibodies in TS patients and in first-generation family members [17]. Our report presents evidence that there is a broad alteration in immune function, and this dysregulation in cellmediated immunity is seen in addition to altered functions of the neurocognitive functions of the brain.…”

“…Others have also reported the prevalence of elevated ASO coupled with positive antibasal ganglia antibodies (ABGA), which were observed more often in TS than other central nervous system diseases, or when comparing patients presenting with TS and healthy controls without TS diagnosis [14,17]. Moreover, genetic susceptibility or familial inheritance may explain the observations of a higher rate of TS in relatives of patients with TS and the observation that only certain subgroups of the general population manifest the symptoms associated with TS following streptococcal infection.…”

“…Such immune dysregulation has included decreased numbers of regulatory T cells [13]; raised antistreptolysin O titers (ASO), positive antibasal ganglia antibodies [13][14][15][16], prominent antineural antibodies present in TS patients, and their first-degree family members [5]; and increased levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecules-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin [17]. Evidence associating cell-mediated immunity and humoral autoimmunity in TS is still lacking [13], and research has also shown that TS patients had fewer antibodies than patients with Sydenham's chorea and autoimmune disorders [18], and mean levels of some antibodies were not higher in TS patients than those in control subjects [19] or slightly but insignificantly higher in TS than those in PANDAS [20], while some studies have also shown no relationship between TS and ASO [19,21].…”

How Relevant are GFAP Autoantibodies in Autism and Tourette Syndrome?

“…Similarities to autism include a heterogeneous phenotype, a male to female bias of 3-4:1 and strong genetic etiology (Jankovic, 2001). These children are of interest due to evidence that autoimmune mechanisms could be involved in the neuropathology of Tourette Syndrome (Kiessling, Marcotte, & Culpepper, 1993;Swedo et al, 1998;Yeh et al, 2006). In the study of Tourette Syndrome, two groups have demonstrated an antibody-mediated involvement by the induction of disease in rats after intracerebral injection of immunoglobulin (Ig) G or serum from patients with Tourette Syndrome (Hallett, Harling-Berg, Knopf, Stopa, & Kiessling, 2000;Taylor et al, 2002).…”

Are There Enhanced MBP Autoantibodies in Autism?

“…Some of the similarities between Tourette syndrome and autism include an unknown etiology, a heterogeneous phenotype, a male to female bias of 3:1, the presence of repetitive behaviors and the importance of genetic factors (Jankovic, 2001). Evidence that autoimmune mechanisms could be involved in the neuropathology of Tourette syndrome also makes these subjects an interesting positive control group (Jankovic, 2001;Kiessling, Marcotte, & Culpepper, 1993;Singer et al, 1998;Swedo et al, 1998;Yeh et al, 2006).…”