High levels in serum, but no signs of intrathecal synthesis of anti-sulfatide antibodies in HIV-1 infected individuals with or without central nervous system complications

• Myelin degeneration is commonly found in the central nervous system (CNS) of individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), especially in patients with HIV-1-associated dementia. We analysed cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum samples from 25 HIV-1 infected individuals for the presence of antibodies directed against sulfatide, the major acidic glycosphingolipid in myelin. Nine of the patients had CNS complications, including 3 with HIV-1-associated dementia, and 16 had no neurological symptoms. Elevated titres of anti-sulfatide antibodies were found in serum from 24/25 HIV-1-infected individuals but in none of them in the CSF. Although the vast majority of HIV-1-infected individuals harbour autoantibodies directed against sulfatide in serum, the lack of detectable intrathecal production indicates that anti-sulfatide antibodies are not a major component in the pathogenesis of CNS myelin damage in HIV-1 infection.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Mikrobiologi inom det medicinska området (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Microbiology in the medical area (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

AIDS Dementia Complex/blood/cerebrospinal fluid/*immunology

Adult

Autoantibodies/blood/cerebrospinal fluid

HIV-1/*immunology

Humans

Immunoglobulin G/blood/cerebrospinal fluid

Middle Aged

Myelin Sheath/chemistry/immunology/virology

Sulfoglycosphingolipids/cerebrospinal fluid/*immunology

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)