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Cultured rat spinal cord neurons: Interaction with motor neuron disease immunoglobulins
Author(s) -
Digby John,
Harrison Roger,
Jehanli Ahmed,
Lunt George G.,
CliffordRose F.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.880080709
Subject(s) - choline acetyltransferase , spinal cord , motor neuron , antibody , neuron , immunofluorescence , biology , immune system , cell , endocrinology , immunology , medicine , cholinergic , neuroscience , biochemistry
Conditions have been developed for the culture of rat spinal cord neurons in serum‐free media supplemented with hormones and growth factors. Neurons were identified by immunofluorescence‐labeled antineurofilament antibody, and their growth was monitored by assay of choline acetyltransferase and cholinesterase activities. Activities of these enzymes were considerably higher than those of comparable cultures in serum supplemented media in which there were visibly many more nonneuronal cells. Serum immunoglobulins from patients with motor neuron disease showed enhanced binding to rat spinal cord cells maintained in both serum‐supplemented and serum‐free media, as compared with those from normal healthy individuals. Enhanced binding was more marked with the latter cells, presumably because of the higher proportion of neuronal cells in these cultures. Serum immunoglobulins from patients with other neurologic disorders showed a similar binding to that of the normal controls. The results demonstrate the presence of an immune response to spinal cord cell membrane components in patients with motor neuron disease, although whether the response is primary or secondary in the disease process remains unclear.