Cerebrospinal fluid antiganglioside antibodies in patients with AIDS

Abstract

In this study the presence of brain antiganglioside antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with HIV infection was analysed. CSF samples were collected from 45 patients with AIDS and from 45 anti-HIV negative subjects, 15 of whom presented aseptic meningitis. Nineteen AIDS patients had clinically well-documented encephalopathy. Thirteen of these patients had white matter lesions shown by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Both IgG and IgM antiganglioside antibodies were detected by immunostaining on thin layer chromatography plates in three CSF samples from AIDS patients with progressive encephalopathy with signs of a diffuse demyelination, as revealed by MRI. Two of these CSF samples reacted specifically with GM3, GM1 and GD1a and one with GD1a. In none of the HIV infected patients without demyelinating encephalopathy, but with opportunistic infections or cerebral lymphoma, nor in the anti-HIV negative control subjects were antiganglioside antibodies detected. No association with JCV DNA, CMV DNA, EBV DNA, detected by nested PCR, nor HIV antigen p24 was found. These findings show the presence of brain antiganglioside antibodies in the CSF of AIDS patients for the first time. However, the findings do not suggest relating the presence of these antibodies to HIV encephalopathy or particular viral agents, but indicate that the antibodies are detectable in subjects with progressive encephalopathy with a diffuse demyelination.

Gangliosides and Antigangliosides in Malignant Melanoma

“…In a big cohort of patients with lupus systemic erythematous the presence of both anti-GM1 IgM and IgG type were associated with neuro-psychiatric disorders and depression. Anti-GM1 were identified in the serum of patients with chronic idiopathic hepatitis, in systemic infections, autoimmune disorders with neurological involvement (encephalopathy, HIV neuropathy) and after parenteral administration of gangliosides [123,124,125,126,127,128,129,130].…”

Can antiglycolipid antibodies present in HIV‐infected individuals induce immune demyelination?

“…Sorice et al detected both IgG and IgM antiganglioside antibodies in the CSF in three AIDS patients with progressive encephalopathy and signs of hypomyelination. 102 Two of the samples were shown to react specifically with GM 3 , GM 1 , and GD 1a , and one with GD 1a alone. None of the sera from HIV-positive patients without encephalopathy contained antiganglioside reactivity, nor did any of the HIV-seronegative control samples with and without CNS disease.…”

“…Whether these antibodies participate in the pathogenesis of any of the various peripheral neuropathies seen in patients infected with HIV remains to be determined. Sorice et al detected both IgG and IgM antiganglioside antibodies in the CSF in three AIDS patients with progressive encephalopathy and signs of hypomyelination 102 . Two of the samples were shown to react specifically with GM 3 , GM 1 , and GD 1a , and one with GD 1a alone.…”

Meliodosis Presenting as Rhombencephalitis with Antiganglioside Antibody Positivity

“…Antiganglioside antibody production as a result of molecular mimicry was well documented following viruses [e.g., cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), infuenza virus, hepatitis E virus and Zika virus] and bacterial infections (e.g., Campylobacter jejuni, Mycoplasma pneumoniae) [19,20]. There have been associations of several other infectious diseases with the presence of CSF antiganglioside antibodies and demyelinating white matter lesions in the brain [21]. Similarly acute paralytic disease like GBS has been associated with several infectious diseases including the most recent COVID-19 pandemic [22].…”