Human monoclonal anti-MAG antibody and anti-Leu 7 recognise shared antigenic determinants in peripheral nerve and spinal cord

Abstract

Anti-Leu 7 monoclonal antibody (MAB), a marker of natural killer cells, and a human MAB to myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) from a patient with a demyelinating neuropathy specifically stained Schmidt-Lanterman incisures, paranodal and periaxonal regions in peripheral nerve myelin by immunocytochemistry on thin plastic sections, while compact myelin was labelled inparaffin-embedded material. Preabsorption studies indicated that the antigen recognised was a MAG epitope shared by MAG and Leu 7. In spinal cord both MABS bound to oligodendrocytes and a subclass of anterior horn cells. Our findings support the-hypothesis that shared antigens between the nervous and the immune systems do exist in situ, which may be important in the pathogenesis of demyelinating neuropathies with monoclonal gammopathies.