Childhood peripheral neuropathy with autoantibodies to myelin glycoprotein P0.

The serum of a 4-year-old child with severe hypertrophic peripheral neuropathy contained high-titer polyclonal antibodies, mainly of IgG class, reacting with the 30-kd P0 glycoprotein of peripheral nerve. This was demonstrated by indirect immunofluorescence, immunoblot analysis of myelin proteins, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with purified P0 glycoprotein. The antibodies did not react with myelin-associated glycoprotein, sulfated glycuronic acid-containing paragloboside (SGPG and SGLPG), or other peripheral nerve glycolipids or gangliosides.