Autoantibodies to cortactin and agrin in sera of patients with myasthenia gravis.

Autoantibodies against agrin and cortactin have been described in patients with myasthenia gravis. To further validate and characterize these autoantibodies, sera and/or plasma exchange material of 135 patients with myasthenia gravis were screened for anti-agrin or anti-cortactin autoantibodies. Autoantibodies against cortactin were detected in three patients and two controls and could be confirmed by cell-based assays using cortactin-transfected human embryonic kidney cells in both controls and one patient, but were not detectable in follow-up sera of the three patients.

Validation of a multiplexing technique to determine the intrathecal, polyspecific antiviral immune response in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Beside the determination of oligoclonal bands (OCBs) as a diagnostic biomarker in multiple sclerosis (MS), the presence of an intrathecal production of antibodies against the neurotropic viruses measles (M), rubella (R) and Varicella-Zoster (Z), the so called MRZ reaction (MRZR) is an even more specific diagnostic biomarker in MS.

Methods: We compared and validated the determination of the MRZR in 97 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum sample pairs of a bead-based multiplexing technique and a classical enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results: Conformity of 94% (M), 94% (R), 94% (Z), 96% (H) and 97% for the interpretation of the MRZR was obtained.

Importance of cerebrospinal fluid analysis in the era of McDonald 2010 criteria: a German-Austrian retrospective multicenter study in patients with a clinically isolated syndrome.

The majority of patients presenting with a first clinical symptom suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS) do not fulfill the MRI criteria for dissemination in space and time according to the 2010 revision of the McDonald diagnostic criteria for MS and are thus classified as clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). To re-evaluate the utility of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis in the context of the revised McDonald criteria from 2010, we conducted a retrospective multicenter study aimed at determining the prevalence and predictive value of oligoclonal IgG bands (OCBs) in patients with CIS. Patients were recruited from ten specialized MS centers in Germany and Austria.

Detection of intrathecal immunoglobulin G synthesis by capillary isoelectric focusing immunoassay in oligoclonal band negative multiple sclerosis.

Oligoclonal immunoglobulin G bands (OCBs) restricted to the cerebrospinal fluid indicate intrathecal inflammation. Using isoelectric focusing and immunoblotting, they are detected in about 95 % of patients with clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS). To elucidate whether in the remaining 5 % OCBs are truly absent or alternatively missed due to insufficient sensitivity of the routine measurement, we employed a new, highly sensitive nanoscale method for OCB detection.

Oligoclonal bands predict multiple sclerosis in children with optic neuritis.

We retrospectively evaluated predictors of conversion to multiple sclerosis (MS) in 357 children with isolated optic neuritis (ON) as a first demyelinating event who had a median follow-up of 4.0 years. Multiple Cox proportional-hazards regressions revealed abnormal cranial magnet resonance imaging (cMRI; hazard ratio [HR] = 5.

Treating multiple sclerosis with monoclonal antibodies: a 2013 update.

The third part of this in-depth review series on the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) with monoclonal antibodies covers the years 2010-2012. The natalizumab section gives a progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy update, focusing on clinically relevant aspects. Furthermore, it outlines problems around natalizumab cessation and current evidence on therapeutic strategies thereafter.

Atypical chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontocerebellar perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS), primary angiitis of the CNS mimicking CLIPPERS or overlap syndrome? A case report.

A novel type of encephalomyelitis was first described as chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids (CLIPPERS) in 2010 and few additional patients were reported since then. Partially due to its unknown aetiology and a lack of pathognomonic features some have suggested that CLIPPERS may not represent a distinct disease, but rather a syndrome with different underlying aetiologies. Here we report a 49-year-old German female who presented with a number of clinical and paraclinical features described as typical for CLIPPERS, while additionally showing symptoms and findings compatible with primary angiitis of the CNS (PACNS).

Intrathecal, polyspecific antiviral immune response in oligoclonal band negative multiple sclerosis.

Background: Oligoclonal bands (OCB) are detected in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in more than 95% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the Western hemisphere. Here we evaluated the intrathecal, polyspecific antiviral immune response as a potential diagnostic CSF marker for OCB-negative MS patients.

Methodology/principal Findings: We tested 46 OCB-negative German patients with paraclinically well defined, definite MS.