Cytomegalovirus is not associated with IgM anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein/sulphate-3-glucuronyl paragloboside antibody-associated neuropathy

Monoclonal antibodies reactive with the HNK-1 epitope of myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) and the sulphate-3-glucuronyl paragloboside (SGPG)-like glycolipids are often found in the serum of patients with IgM paraprotein-a ssociated demyelinating neuropathy. The presence of such antibodies in pati ents with chronic polyneuropathy has recently been associated with evidence of active cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection by the polymerase chain reaction . We wished to test these findings and examined sera from patients with MAG -reactive or MAG-nonreactive paraproteinemic neuropathy and patients with p araproteinemia only for the presence of CMV DNA and anti-CMV antibodies. CM V DNA was not detected in sera from any patient group. Furthermore, anti-CM V antibody prevalence was normal and similar in all 3 groups. We therefore report no evidence of an association between CMV infection and anti-MAG/SGP G antibodies associated with paraproteinemic peripheral neuropathy.