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Motor nerve damage is associated with anti‐ganglioside antibodies in diabetes
Author(s) -
Matà Sabrina,
Betti Elisabetta,
Masotti Giulio,
Pinto Francesco,
Lolli Francesco
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of the peripheral nervous system
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1529-8027
pISSN - 1085-9489
DOI - 10.1111/j.1085-9489.2004.09303.x
Subject(s) - ganglioside , medicine , antibody , titer , immunology , acute motor axonal neuropathy , diabetes mellitus , motor nerve , multifocal motor neuropathy , autoantibody , diabetic neuropathy , nerve conduction , immune system , antibody titer , endocrinology , biology , biochemistry , anatomy , mismatch negativity , electroencephalography , psychiatry
Few reports exist on the association between the humoral immune response to glycolipids and neuropathic findings in diabetes. To address this issue, we assayed serum anti‐GM1, GD1b, GD1a, and sulfatides IgG and IgM in a group of 85 non‐selected diabetic patients, and correlated these antibodies to clinical and electrophysiological findings. Diabetic patients had higher mean titers of anti‐GM1 (IgM), GD1b, GD1a, and sulfatide (IgG) antibodies when compared to healthy controls. Patients with a positive titer of anti‐ganglioside antibodies had significant alterations of motor conduction parameters. The statistical significance increased when considering those patients with both anti‐ganglioside reactivity and a high value for glycosylated hemoglobin. Production of antibodies to ganglioside may follow the exposure of hidden motor nerve epitopes in damaged motor nerves and contribute to the neuropathy.