Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P02749 (beta2-glycoprotein I)
 836 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Can autoantibodies (Ab's) and cytokines play a role in epilepsy?Monozygotic twins discordant for epilepsy (most probably Rasmussen's encephalitis (RE)), compared to 49 neurologically intact controls, were both found to contain in their serum (at the time of epilepsy diagnosis) significantly elevated levels of specific Ab's against peptide B (amino acids 372-395) of the ionotropic glutamate receptor of AMPA subtype 3 (i.e. GluR3B peptide). Interestingly, both twins also had clinically elevated levels of Ab's to double-stranded (ds) DNA, glutamic acid decarboxylase, nuclear antigens, beta2-glycoprotein I and cardiolipin, as in "classical" autoimmune diseases. Both twins also had significantly elevated levels of IFNgamma, TNFalpha, IL-4 and IL-10 in the serum, compared to the controls. Comparing the twins revealed that the epileptic twin had significantly higher levels of five of the above anti-self Ab's, but significantly lower levels of all four cytokines compared to her healthy sister. Importantly, the epileptic twin, alike three other RE patients tested herein, contained elevated levels of Ab's to GluR3B and dsDNA also in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (unavailable of the healthy twin). Our results suggest that the various autoimmune Ab's studied herein, all of which are known already to have a potential to be pathogenic in the nervous system and/or peripheral organs, may play a role in some types of epilepsy. The titer of such Ab's and of key cytokines may be crucial for either facilitating or arresting the development of epilepsy. Our findings also show that anti-GluR3B Ab's in serum are not necessarily detrimental (their presence in the CSF may be more dangerous), and that they are not a mere side effect of already existing epilepsy, as they were found herein in serum of a healthy individual. These findings and suggestions may be of clinical importance and call for further studies.
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PMID:Monozygotic twins discordant for epilepsy differ in the levels of potentially pathogenic autoantibodies and cytokines. 1604 Mar 34

Autoantibodies (Ab's) to the "B" peptide (amino acids 372-395) of glutamate/AMPA receptor subtype 3 (GluR3) are found in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of some patients with different types of epilepsy. Since such anti-GluR3B Ab's can activate and/or kill neurons in vitro and in vivo, they may contribute to epilepsy. To investigate whether anti-GluR3B Ab's may also be relevant to epilepsy when it accompanies some autoimmune-diseases, we tested for these Ab's in patients suffering from epilepsy that accompanies anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) or Sneddon's syndrome (SNS), both being autoimmune-diseases with frequent neurological complications. We tested 77 pediatric patients whose epilepsy is their main disease; 31 adult patients whose epilepsy accompanies APS (primary or SLE-associated) or SNS; 45 epilepsy-free APS and SNS patients; and 90 healthy controls. Compared to the controls, significantly elevated anti-GluR3B Ab's were found in 22/77 (29%) patients whose epilepsy is their main disease, but in none of the patients whose seizures accompany APS or SNS. Yet, all the APS and SNS patients harbored the characteristic anti-phospholipid Ab's (aPL), directed against cardiolipin and beta2-glycoprotein I, and had lupus anti-coagulant. Thus, anti-GluR3B Ab's are not crossreactive with aPL, and not produced as a non-specific consequence of seizures on the one hand, or autoimmune-diseases on the other. Taken together with new findings accumulated recently in our lab, we suggest that anti-GluR3B Ab's are produced primarily in the periphery due to specific/non-specific "irritation" of the immune system, and that once they reach the brain via a leaky blood-brain barrier they may cause neuronal/glial damage and facilitate the outburst of epilepsy and additional neurological abnormalities. In contrast, the presence of anti-GluR3B Ab's does not seem to increase the probability of developing APS, SNS or the seizures that often accompany these autoimmune-diseases. These findings may have important diagnostic and therapeutic implications.
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PMID:Antibodies to glutamate receptor subtype 3 (GluR3) are found in some patients suffering from epilepsy as the main disease, but not in patients whose epilepsy accompanies antiphospholipid syndrome or Sneddon's syndrome. 1627 46