Elevated Autoantibodies in Subacute Human Spinal Cord Injury Are Naturally Occurring Antibodies

Frontiers in Immunology, 2018 · DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02365 · Published: October 11, 2018

Simple Explanation

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can lead to the body attacking itself, producing molecules called autoantibodies. This study shows that these autoantibodies are already present in healthy individuals. The levels of these autoantibodies increase rapidly after SCI, suggesting they are part of a quick, secondary immune response, rather than a new immune response. The study identified 16 different targets of these autoantibodies, including nervous system and other body components, which are altered after SCI. This helps explain why autoimmunity develops after SCI.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

52 patients with traumatic SCI and 16 healthy control subjects

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Autoantibodies against damaged spinal cord are detectable in the sera of normal subjects.
2
Autoantibodies against 16 different targets are significantly increased in the subacute phase after SCI.
3
The increased autoantibodies after SCI are directed against degraded protein fragments and/or post-translational modifications of proteins.

Research Summary

This study investigates autoantibodies (AAbs) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). The key finding is that AAbs against damaged spinal cord tissue are already present in healthy individuals and increase significantly in the subacute phase after SCI. The study identifies 16 different protein targets of these AAbs, which are linked to alterations occurring after SCI, and suggests that the origin of autoimmunity after SCI is the expansion of pre-existing natural AAbs.

Practical Implications

Therapeutic Targets

The 13 newly identified antigenic targets could be explored as potential therapeutic targets for SCI.

Biomarkers

The increased autoantibodies could potentially serve as biomarkers of underlying pathophysiological alterations after SCI.

Understanding Autoimmunity

The findings provide insights into the development of antibody-mediated autoimmunity after SCI.

Study Limitations

1
The antigen collection is derived from control spinal cord samples as well as samples from patients with multiple sclerosis, Balo concentric lesions and lateral amyotrophic sclerosis.
2
The study does not distinguish whether the increased binding of IgG AAbs induced by SCI is just the result of increasing the levels of pre-existent natural AAbs or the result of maturating their aﬃnity.
3
The levels of autoantibodies may vary depending on the age and gender of individuals.

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