Jp. Zanetta et al., PRESENCE OF ANTI-CSL ANTIBODIES IN THE CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID OF PATIENTS - A SENSITIVE AND SPECIFIC TEST IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS, Journal of neuroimmunology, 52(2), 1994, pp. 175-182
The carbohydrate-binding protein (lectin) CSL is an antigen involved i
n the stabilization of the myelin structure by interacting with the ca
rbohydrate moiety of myelin glycoproteins. Since anti-CSL Fab fragment
s were able to produce destruction of CNS myelin in vitro, CSL was con
sidered as a potential immunological target in multiple sclerosis. The
presence of anti-CSL antibodies has been examined in the cerebrospina
l fluid of 1388 different patients with various neurological diseases.
It is concluded that the presence of anti-CSL antibodies in the cereb
rospinal fluid of patients less than 50 years old constitutes a very s
ensitive and specific test for multiple sclerosis.