Antibodies to neurofilament protein in retinitis pigmentosa.

Abstract

Antibodies reactive with heterologous neural tissue were detected by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy in the sera of 17 of 34 patients with retinitis pigmentosa, one of 30 normal control sera, and a variable percentage of sera derived from subjects with diverse ocular and neurological diseases. These antibodies were also found both in disease-free first degree relatives and in spouses of patients with retinitis pigMientosa. Analytical sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of human spinal cord components followed by immunoblots with sera under study revealed that the serum antibody was specific for the high molecular weight protein subunit of neurofilaments. No correlation was found between the presence of these antibodies and other immunological and clinical parameters in retinitis pigmentosa. These findings suggest that release of piled-up neurofilaments from damaged neurones in retinitis pigmentosa triggers B lymphocytes autoreactive to neurofilament antigens.

Analysis of IgG antibody patterns against retinal antigens and antibodies to α-crystallin, GFAP, and α-enolase in sera of patients with “wet” age-related macular degeneration

“…The causal events responsible for AMD are not known so far. An autoimmune component has been suspected to be a part of the pathogenesis of several ocular pathologies like retinal vasculitis, [10] retinopathy, [11][12][13] and retinitis pigmentosa [14]. Through this study we are trying to gain more information about a possible autoimmune involvement in the pathogenesis of AMD.…”

Neutrophil lactoferrin upregulates the human p53 gene through induction of NF-κB activation cascade

“…Human lactoferrin (Lf), a 80-kDa glycoprotein, is a unique multifunctional protein, which modulates cell growth and a variety of cellular and immune responses (Galbraith, 1986). It regulates granulopoiesis by inhibiting myelopoiesis via inhibition of macrophage and monocyte colony-stimulating factor production (Bagby, 1989).…”

Seroreactivity Against Aqueous-Soluble and Detergent-Soluble Retinal Proteins in Posterior Uveitis

“…For example, some patients with retinitis pigmentosa have antirecoverin and other antibodies recognizing retinal proteins circulating in their serum. 4,11,12 A summary of retinal proteins for which antiretinal antibody activity is known to be associated with retinopathy is given in Table 1.…”