ANTI-GM1 GANGLIOSIDE ANTIBODIES CLONED FROM AUTOIMMUNE NEUROPATHY PATIENTS SHOW DIVERSE BINDING PATTERNS IN THE RODENT NERVOUS-SYSTEM

We have recently cloned a panel of monoclonal IgM anti-GM1 ganglioside antibodies from peripheral blood lymphocytes of patients with multifo cal motor neuropathy and Guillain Bane syndrome. In solid-phase immuno assay, the antibodies all reacted with GM1 and also reacted to differe nt degrees with the structurally related glycolipids asialo-GM1 and GD 1b. These antibodies are being used to study the pathogenesis of anti- GM1 antibody-mediated neuropathy in different experimental systems, In the present immunofluorescence study we report the binding patterns o f 5 of these antibodies in the rodent nervous system. The antibodies d emonstrated highly diverse binding patterns on tissue sections and tea sed fibers when compared to one another and between different species. The antibodies bound many central and peripheral nervous system struc tures, including neurons and myelin, motor end plate regions, and musc le spindles. The diversity of binding shown by these antibodies provid es evidence that may account for the differing clinical phenotypes, in cluding normality, associated with elevated titers of anti-GM1 antibod ies.