Autoimmunity in multiple sclerosis: study of a wide spectrum of autoantibodies

The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of organ- and nonorgan-sp ecific autoantibodies in MS patients and evaluate whether the presence of a utoantibodies is on indicator of disease activity and/or a prognosis factor One hundred and five definite MS patients in different stages and with dif ferent course and 75 blood donors were tested for the autoantibodies TgA, T MA/TPO-A, PCA, ANA, aCl, SMA, AMA and ANCA. All patients were screened for the LAC Autoantibodies to at least one autoantigen were found in 66.6% MS p atients and in 13.3% controls (P < 0.001). The frequency of TgA, TMA/TPO-A, ANA, aCl and SMA was statistically higher in patients than in controls. Ci rculating ANCAs were found in seven MS, a never reported finding An early o nset of MS (<20 years) was associated with a lower autoantibody frequency ( P < 0.01). Primary and secondary progressive MS had a higher antibody frequ ency than relapsing-remitting (P<0.05) or benign (P<0.001) MS. Up to 86% of patients were autoantibody-positive during the acute stage, bur only 30% o f them remained positive during the remission stage (P < 0.001). A generali sed immune dysregulation occurs in MS patients, mostly during the acute sta ges and in the Progressive courses, involving activation of both autoreacti ve Thl-cells (mainly linked to CNS lesions) and B-cells via Th2 cells.