吉兰-巴雷综合征患者血清和脑脊液抗神经节苷脂抗体检测的意义

目的通过测定吉兰-巴雷综合征(Guillain-BarréSyndrome,GBS)患者血清和脑脊液中抗神经节苷脂GM1抗体水平,探讨其临床意义。方法应用ELISA法检测44例GBS患者血清和脑脊液中抗GM1抗体水平。结果 (1)GBS组血清和脑脊液中抗GM1-IgG抗体水平与其他神经疾病(OND)组、正常对照(NC)组相比有显著性差异(P<0.05);血清中抗GM1-IgM抗体与NC组相比有显著性差异(P<0.05),但与OND组相比无显著性差异(P>0.05);脑脊液中抗GM1-IgM抗体与OND组、NC组相比有显著性差异(P<0.05)。(2)轻重型GBS患者血清和脑脊液中抗GM1抗体的阳性率差异无显著性(P>0.05)。(3)急性炎性脱髓鞘性多发性神经根神经病(AIDP)患者血清和脑脊液中抗GM1抗体阳性率与急性运动轴索型神经病(AMAN)及急性运动感觉轴索型神经病(AMSAN)中抗GM1抗体阳性率者相比无显著性差异(P>0.05)。结论抗GM1抗体可能在吉兰-巴雷综合征的发病中起重要作用,但抗体水平与疾病严重程度无关。     

炎性周围神经病患者血清和脑脊液中抗硫脂抗体的临床意义

目的　通过测定炎性周围神经病患者血清和脑脊液 ( CSF)中抗硫脂抗体水平 ,探讨其临床意义和可能的致病机制。方法　应用 ELISA法检测 3 0例急性吉兰 -巴雷 ( Guillain-Barré syndrome,GBS)患者、2 4例慢性吉兰 -巴雷 ( chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy,CIDP)患者血清和 CSF中抗硫脂抗体水平。结果　 ( 1 ) GBS患者血清中高滴度抗硫脂抗体与疾病组和正常对照组比较差异无显著性 ( P >0 .0 5 ) ;CSF中 Ig M-抗硫脂抗体阳性率与各对照组比较差异有极显著性 ( P <0 .0 1 ) ;( 2 ) CIDP患者血清中高滴度抗硫脂抗体与正常对照组比较差异有显著性 ( P <0 .0 5 ) ,CSF中 Ig M-抗硫脂抗体阳性率与各对照组比较差异有显著性( P <0 .0 5 ) ;( 3 )抗硫脂抗体阳性的 GBS患者多有主观感觉障碍 ,差异有显著性 ( P <0 .0 5 ) ;抗硫脂抗体阳性的CIDP患者多为感觉轴索性损害 ,差异有显著性 ( P<0 .0 5 ) ;( 4 )轻、重型组 GBS患者血清和 CSF中抗硫脂抗体水平之间差异无显著性 ( P >0 .0 5 ) ;( 5 ) GBS组、CIDP组血清中抗体水平与配对的 CSF中抗体水平无相关性。结论　 ( 1 ) GBS患者 CSF中 Ig M-抗硫脂抗体有可能作为感觉神经受累的一项临床辅助参考指标 ,抗硫脂抗体的水平与疾病的临床严重     

CIDP患者血清和脑脊液中硫脂抗体、P2蛋白抗体的临床意义

目的　通过测定慢性炎性脱髓鞘性多发性神经病 (CIDP)患者血清和脑脊液 (CSF)中抗硫脂抗体及P2蛋白抗体水平 ,探讨其临床意义和可能的致病机制。方法　应用ELISA法检测 2 4例CIDP患者血清和脑脊液中抗硫脂抗体和P2蛋白抗体水平。结果　 (1 )CIDP组血清中高滴度抗硫脂抗体与其它周围神经病 (OPN)组和其它神经系统疾病 (OND)组比较无显著的差异 (P >0 .0 5) ;脑脊液中IgM 抗硫脂抗体与各对照组比较差异有显著性 (P <0 .0 5)。 (2 )CIDP组血清中高滴度抗P2抗体与OPN、OND组比较无显著的差异 (P >0 .0 5) ;脑脊液中抗P2抗体与各对照组比较有显著性差异 (P <0 .0 5 ,P <0 .0 1 )。 (3) 1 3例抗硫脂抗体阳性CIDP患者中 9例 (69.2 % )为感觉轴索性损害 ,1 1例阴性患者中 3例 (2 7.4 % )为感觉轴索性损害 ,差异有显著性 (P <0 .0 5)。 (4) 1 8例抗P2抗体阳性CIDP患者中 ,1 3例 (72 .2 % )为轴索性损害 ,6例抗P2抗体阴性患者中 3例 (50 % )为轴索性损害 ,差异无显著性 (P >0 .0 5)。结论　CIDP患者脑脊液中IgM 抗硫脂抗体可以作为感觉轴索型周围神经病的临床诊断参考指标 ;血清和脑脊液中P2抗体的检测对CIDP诊断参考价值不大 ,可能与疾病的修复有关。     

神经节苷脂治疗吉兰-巴雷综合征临床疗效及治疗前后肌电图改变

吉兰-巴雷综合征(Guillain-Barre syndrome,GBS),又称急性炎症性脱髓鞘性多发性神经病(AIDP),是一种周围神经脱髓鞘疾病。神经节苷脂(monosialote trahexosyl ganglio- side,GM)作为髓鞘的主要组成成分,能够修复受损神经的髓鞘、促进神经再生、恢复神经生理功能。本项研究对GBS患者应用GM治疗,旨在观察GM治疗GBS患者的临床疗效及对肌电图的影响。     

格林-巴利综合征患者血清中抗神经节苷脂抗体的检测

目的 :探讨神经节苷脂抗体在格林 -巴利综合征 (Guillain- Barre syndrome GBS)发病中的作用。方法 :通过 EL ISA方法检测 85例 GBS病人血清中神经节苷脂 (GM1 、 M1 a、 GD1 b、 GA1 )的 Ig G、 Ig M、 Ig A抗体。结果 :anti-GD1 b Ig G抗体阳性在 AMAN中为 2 5 (2 5 / 5 3 47.2 % )例 ,在 AIDP中为 2 (2 / 32 6 .3% )例 ,正常对照组 2 (2 / 5 0 4% )例 ,其它神经科疾病组 1(1/ 5 0 2 % )例。AMAN与正常对照组相比 P=0 .0 0 1,OR=2 1.4;AIDP与正常对照组相比 P=0 .6 48。anti- GD1 b Ig G抗体阳性在 AMAN中为 2 7(2 7/ 5 3 5 0 .9% )例 ,在 AIDP中为 10 (10 / 32 31.3% )例 ,正常对照组4(4/ 5 0 8% )例 ,其它神经科疾病组 4(4/ 5 0 8% )例。AMAN与正常组相比 P=0 .0 0 1,OR=11.9;AIDP与正常对照组相比 P=0 .0 0 6 ,OR=5 .2 ;AMAN及 AIDP间 P=0 .0 76。结论 :GM1 Ig G抗体与 AMAN及 AIDP均相关 ,但 GD1 a抗体只与 AMAN相关。其它神经节苷脂抗体与 AMAN、AIDP不相关     

Fisher’s综合征时的抗GQ1b抗体

有作者认为,自身免疫机制可能参与Fisher’s综合征的发病。本文采用酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA),测定了16例Fisher’s综合征、15例Guillain-Barr(?)综合征(GBS)和33例其它神经系统疾病(OND)患者的自身血清神经节苷脂(gangliosides)抗体。OND包括肌萎缩性侧索硬化(10),多发性硬化(10),重症肌无力(10)及慢性感觉性共济失调神经病(3)。抗神经节苷脂抗体包括抗GM_1,抗G_(DIa),抗G_(Dib),抗G_(T1b),抗G_(D2)及抗G_(Q1b)抗体。 结果 16例Fisher’s综合征中,13例血清中存在高滴度抗G_(Q1b)抗体,其中11例为IgG型,2例为     

神经节苷脂GM_1在周围神经系统中的研究

神经节苷脂GM1（ganglioside，GM1）最早被认为主要存在于中枢神经，尤其以脑中含量最丰富。而自Macmilla[1]等人证明坐骨神经、股神经中也含有GM1以来，GMI和抗GMI抗体在周围神经中的作用越来越引起人们的重视。目前的初步研究已从不同程度、不同侧面揭示了GM1和抗GM1抗体与周围神经系统疾病有密切关系。一、GM1和抗GM1抗体神经节着脂是神经系统糖脂的主要组成部分，其化学成份为含唾液酸的寡糖链和神经酸胺。分为单唾液酸神经节着脂（GM1、GM2、GM3），双唾液酸神经节音脂（GD1a、GD1b），三唾液酸神经节苷脂（GQ1b。研究发…     

抗GM4 IgG抗体阳性慢性炎性脱髓鞘性多发性神经根神经病1例报告

正慢性炎性脱髓鞘性多发性神经根神经病(chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy,CIDP)是一类由免疫介导的获得性运动感觉神经脱髓鞘性多神经病[1]。由于病因未明确、临床症状多样性、个体间疗效差异大,故在CIDP的诊断以及治疗方案的选择上存在一定困难。这可能与不同抗体介导的CIDP亚型有关。近年来,关于神经系统疾病相关的不同类型抗神经节苷脂抗体及其在疾病发病中作用的研究取得一定进展。国内外描述神经节苷脂GM4及其抗体的相关文献仍较少。本文对1例抗神经节苷脂GM4抗体阳性的CIDP进行报道,旨在增强对疾病诊断和治疗的认识。     

格林—巴利综合征与慢性炎症性脱髓鞘多神经病患者血清和脑脊液中的抗GM1抗体

<正> 在各种多神经病患者(包括炎症型多神经病)的血清中发现高滴度的直接抗神经节苷脂的抗体(尤其是GM1)。通过对23例格林—巴利综合征(GBS)和10例慢性炎症性脱髓鞘性多神经病(CIDP)患者血清和脑脊液中抗GM1IgG和IgM水平的测定,旨在了解这种免疫反     

吉兰-巴雷综合征脑脊液检查及意义

吉兰-巴雷综合征(guillain-Barre syndrome,GBS),又称急性炎症性脱髓鞘性多发性神经根炎,是以周围神经和神经根的脱髓鞘及小血管周围淋巴细胞及巨噬细胞的炎性反应为病理特点的自身免疫疾病, GBS诊断主要根据病前多数病例有非特异性或病毒感染史;四肢对称性运动及感觉障碍;脑脊液(cerebrospinal fluid,CSF)蛋白-细胞分离.在GBS起病早期CSF中除蛋白增高外,尚有免疫球蛋白、神经节苷脂抗体、抗硫脂抗体、白介素、唾液酸含量的变化.     

Antibodies to acidic glycolipids in Guillain-Barré syndrome and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and a thin-layer chromatography-immunostaining procedure, we detected serum antibodies against acidic glycolipids in 36 of 53 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and 8 of 16 patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Although we also found anti-acidic glycolipid antibodies in 4 of 13 patients with other neurological diseases; 2 of 10 patients with multiple sclerosis; 8 of 33 patients with inflammatory, infectious, allergic or autoimmune disorders and 3 of 32 healthy subjects, the levels of antibodies in these controls were much lower than in GBS patients. There were several patterns of reactivity of GBS sera including antibodies to LM1 and HexLM1, GM1 or GD1b or both, various other gangliosides, sulfated glycolipids, and as yet unidentified glycolipids. Sera from 30% of GBS patients had antibodies against two or more antigenically distinct acidic glycolipid antigens. Levels of anti-acidic glycolipid antibodies correlated with clinical symptoms in 9 of 11 GBS patients. While the increased incidence of antibodies to acidic glycolipids in patients with GBS (P less than 0.001) and CIDP (P less than 0.025) compared to controls could be an epiphenomenon, anti-acidic glycolipid antibodies may play a role in nerve injury in some GBS and CIDP patients.     

Altered cerebrospinal fluid index of prealbumin, fibrinogen, and haptoglobin in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy

Zhang H‐L, Zhang X‐M, Mao X‐J, Deng H, Li H‐F, Press R, Fredrikson S, Zhu J. Altered cerebrospinal fluid index of prealbumin, fibrinogen, and haptoglobin in patients with Guillain–Barré syndrome and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.
Acta Neurol Scand: 2012: 125: 129–135.
© 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Objectives – Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) are autoimmune diseases of the peripheral nervous system. A clinical hallmark of GBS and CIDP is the albumino‐cytologic dissociation in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Changes in the CSF levels of proteins other than albumin in patients with GBS and CIDP are not as well studied. If altered, aberrant levels of CSF proteins may render it possible to establish useful biomarkers for GBS and CIDP. Materials and methods – Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the levels of prealbumin, fibrinogen, haptoglobin, apolipoprotein E, apolipoprotein A4 in both CSF and plasma samples from 19 patients with GBS and eight with CIDP, 24 controls with multiple sclerosis (MS) as well as 20 patients with other non‐inflammatory neurological disorders (OND). Results – The levels of prealbumin in both the plasma and the CSF were elevated in patients with GBS and MS compared with the controls. The higher levels of fibrinogen were seen in the CSF of patients with GBS and CIDP, but not in the plasma. The levels of CSF prealbumin and fibrinogen, measured by the CSF index of these proteins, were lower in patients with GBS and that of fibrinogen in patients with CIDP compared with controls with OND. Haptoglobin levels in the CSF rather than in the plasma were higher in patients with GBS and CIDP than in controls. The CSF haptoglobin index was higher in patients with CIDP and MS, but not in those with GBS. No correlation was found between levels of CSF proteins and clinical parameters in patients with GBS and CIDP. Conclusions – Our data provide preliminary evidence that GBS is associated with low CSF index levels of prealbumin and fibrinogen, but normal levels of haptoglobin, whereas CIDP is associated with normal CSF index levels of prealbumin, low fibrinogen, and high levels of haptoglobin. Further studies are needed to identify the underlying mechanisms behind these CSF protein alterations and to clarify whether prealbumin, fibrinogen, and haptoglobin can serve as useful biomarkers for GBS and CIDP.     

On the mechanism of high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin treatment of patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy

A proportion of patients with a chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) improves after polyvalent intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) treatment. When anti-neuroblastoma cell line (NBL) antibodies are present, they decrease or disappear after IVIg treatment. Purified IgM anti-NBL antibodies from a CIDP patient were inhibited by F(ab')2 of IVIg and by F(ab')2 of a patient recovered from Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Inhibition of anti-NBL antibodies was also found among sera from normal individuals. This suggests that the self-limiting character of GBS and the therapeutic effect of IVIg in CIDP are dependent on suppression of auto-antibodies. This suppression may be mediated by anti-idiotypes present in recovered GBS patients and in the normal donor population contributing to IVIg.     

Antibodies to peripheral nerve myelin proteins in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is an acquired disorder of the peripheral nervous system with a probable auto-immune pathogenesis. The nature of the responsible autoantigens is unclear in most patients. We used the Western immunoblot technique to seek antibodies to peripheral nerve protein antigens. Sera from eight of 32 (25%) CIDP patients, 12 of 37 (32%) Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) patients, zero of 30 (0%) chronic idiopathic axonal polyneuropathy patients and two of 39 (5%) healthy control subjects contained anti-peripheral nerve protein antibodies. The frequency of such antibodies was significantly greater in both CIDP (p = 0.04) and GBS (p = 0.003) patients than in normal control subjects. For CIDP patients, there were non-significant trends for antibodies to be more common in females and in those who responded to treatment with either intravenous immunoglobulin or plasma exchange. The commonest antibodies were directed against a band at 28 kDa, resembling that labelled by a monoclonal antibody against myelin protein zero (P0). Six CIDP and seven GBS patients' sera reacted with this band. These results support the view that antibodies to myelin proteins, and especially P0, are present in the serum of some patients with CIDP and GBS.     

Clinical correlations of anti-GM1 antibodies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and neuropathies

Clinical correlations of antiganglioside GM1 antibodies are important because high titers of these antibodies may have therapeutic significance. To further evaluate this significance, we reviewed our experience with 78 patients who had the following diagnoses: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), ALS syndromes in patients with gammopathy or thyroid abnormalities, cervical spondylosis simulating ALS, motor neuropathies, and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies (CIDP). Antiganglioside antibody titers were measured "blind" by ELISA assay at the neuromuscular clinical laboratory, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. We conclude that anti-GM1 antibodies are found in a wide variety of neuromuscular conditions. Patients with classical ALS had a mean anti-GM1 antibody titer significantly lower than patients with CIDP or motor neuropathy. Patients with ALS associated with gammopathy or thyroid disorders had higher anti-GM1 titers than seen in classical ALS. The highest mean titer occurred in patients with CIDP, a treatable neuropathy.     

T cell reactivity to P0, P2, PMP-22, and myelin basic protein in patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy

Objectives: It has been suggested that autoimmunity to peripheral myelin proteins is involved in the pathogenesis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP). We aimed to compare reactivity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to antigens of peripheral myelin proteins in patients with GBS and patients with CIDP with that of healthy controls and patients with other non-immune mediated neuropathies (ON). Methods: We prepared PBMC from blood from 83 healthy controls and from 64 patients with GBS, 54 with CIDP, and 62 with ON. PBMC were tested in antigen specific proliferation assays against peptides from myelin proteins P0, P2, PMP22, and myelin basic protein (MBP), which is identical to myelin P1, and against whole human MBP. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin (IL)-5 enzyme linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assays were also performed in some subjects to assess spontaneous and peripheral myelin antigen specific PBMC cytokine secretion. Results: Antigen specific PBMC proliferation assays showed no significant elevation of peptide specific T cell responsiveness in patients with GBS or CIDP compared with healthy controls or patients with ON. Levels of spontaneous ELISPOT IFN-γ secretion were increased in patients with GBS and significantly increased in those with CIDP compared with healthy controls and patients with ON. No convincing differences in antigen specific ELISPOT IFN-γ secretion levels to individual peptides were detectable in patients with GBS. The proportion of patients with CIDP with an increased number of PBMC producing IFN-γ in response to peptide PMP-22_51–64 was significantly increased compared with healthy controls and patients with ON. No significant differences in antigen specific ELISPOT IL-5 secretion levels were detectable in patients with GBS or CIDP compared with controls, but levels of spontaneous IL-5 secretion were significantly higher in patients with CIDP than in healthy controls or patients with ON. Conclusions: Although the lack of significantly increased antigen specific PBMC proliferation in GBS and CIDP does not support a role for T cells, the more sensitive ELISPOT technique detected increased numbers of PBMC secreting IFN-γ spontaneously in 25% of patients with GBS, providing further evidence for a role of T cells in the immunopathology of GBS. Increased numbers of spontaneous IFN-γ and IL-5 secreting cells, and increased IFN-γ secretion in response to PMP-22_51–64, in patients with CIDP provide further evidence for a role of myelin specific T cells in CIDP.     

Class and IgG subclass distribution of antibodies against peripheral nerve myelin in sera from patients with inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to quantify antibodies against peripheral nerve myelin (PNM) in sera from 90 patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and from 70 patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP). Fifty-nine percent of the patients with GBS and 51% of the patients with CIDP had increased levels of anti-PNM antibodies. Antibodies were also found in 0%-14% of sera from patients with other neurological diseases and in 8% of normal blood donors. Mean levels of IgG, IgM and IgA anti-PNM antibodies were increased in sera from patients with GBS, and mean IgG and IgA anti-PNM antibody levels were increased in sera from patients with CIDP when compared with sera from normal blood donors. The mean IgG anti-PNM antibody response observed in patients with GBS or CIDP was dominated by the IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses.     

Autoimmune neuropathies: diagnosis, treatment, and recent topics

Here, we have reviewed the clinical patterns, diagnostic paradigms, etiopathogenesis, and therapeutic strategies of autoimmune neuropathies such as Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN), and IgM paraproteinemic neuropathy. Antiganglioside antibodies are frequently present in the serum samples obtained during the acutephase of GBS and Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS), a subtype of GBS. Recently, we found that some patients with GBS and MFS have serum antibodies against antigenic epitopes formed by 2 different gangliosides (ganglioside complex). The antibodies against GD1a/GD1b and/or GD1b/GT1b complexes are associated with severe disability and a requirement for mechanical ventilation. Anti-GM1/GalNAc-GD1a antibodies are found to be associated with pure motor GBS with frequent conduction blocks. In GBS, corticosteroids given alone do not significantly hasten the recovery or affect the long-term treatment outcome. Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy (IVIg) or plasma exchange (PE) is equally effective. Combined treatment with corticosteroids and IVIg may be a promising therapy for GBS. On the basis of the EFNS/PNS guidelines, we describe the treatment of chronic autoimmune neuropathies such as CIDP, MMN, and IgM paraproteinemic neuropathy. In treating CIDP, corticosteroids, IVIg, and plasma exchange are equally effective. In MMN, IVIg is the first-choice therapy; corticosteroids and PE are ineffective or even detrimental. IgM paraproteinemic neuropathies are known to be intractable, and these patients often have anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein antibodies and may respond to immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory therapies. However, the potential therapeutic benefits should be balanced against their possible side effects and usual slow disease progression.     

Antibodies to GM1 ganglioside in motor neuron disease--in comparison with demyelinating neuropathy]

We studied serum antibodies to GM1 ganglioside by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 55 patients with motor neuron disease (MND) composed of 36 ALS and 19 lower motor neuron disease (LMND), 44 patients with demyelinating neuropathy (DN) composed of 29 Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and 15 chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), and 21 healthy controls. High levels of serum antibodies against GM1 were confirmed by thin-layer chromatography overlay procedure. In MND group, the mean level of anti-GM1 IgM antibodies was not significantly elevated in comparison with controls. There was no significant difference in anti-GM1 antibodies between ALS group and LMND group, while anti-GM1 IgM antibodies in DN group, especially in GBS group, were significantly elevated (p < 0.001). High levels of anti-GM1 IgM antibodies (greater than the mean level plus 3 standard deviations of controls) were detected in 9 patients (6 with ALS and 3 with LMND) with MND (16.4%) and 16 patients (11 with GBS and 5 with CIDP) with DN (36.4%). Serum antibodies to GM1 reacted with GD1b ganglioside in only one patient with MND and 10 patients (8 with GBS and 2 with CIDP) with DN. Anti-GM1 IgG antibodies were elevated significantly in DN group. There was no correlation among anti-GM1 IgM antibodies and both duration and severity of illness in MND. In some patients with MND, levels of anti-GM1 IgM antibodies became high in the advanced stage. It is unclear whether these antibodies are primary manifestation or consequence of motor neuron disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Elevation of Gas6 protein concentration in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP)

INTRODUCTION: Gas6 enhances survival of Schwann cells and neurons in vitro and participates in autoimmunity in animal models. Since its concentration in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is unknown, we measured it in samples from patients with non-inflammatory/non-autoimmune neurological diseases (NINAD) and autoimmune polyneuropathies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Samples collected after informed consent during diagnostic lumbar puncture in the period 1999-2006 were stored at -30 degrees C. We considered subjects with NINAD (stroke, ALS, headache, psychiatric conditions simulating neurological diseases, otologic dizziness) or with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) or CIDP. CSF and plasma total protein and age were obtained from clinical records. Gas6 was measured with an ELISA developed and validated in our laboratory (inter-, intra-assay CVs <10%, recovery 96%). Variance, Tukey's post-hoc test, regression were calculated with a statistical software (Statsoft). RESULTS: Mean Gas6 concentration in patients with NINAD was 6.5+/-2.4 ng/ml, 7.2+/-2.6 ng/ml in GBS and significantly higher (11.5+/-1.7 ng/ml) in CIDP than in the other conditions (post-hoc, p<0.005). It was not related to age, CSF total proteins or to CSF/plasma ratio of total proteins (regression, p>0.1). CONCLUSIONS: Gas6 is detectable in CSF and may be involved in chronic autoimmune demyelination or myelin repair.