Association between glycoconjugate antibodies and Campylobacter infection in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome

In a retrospective study we have analysed sera from a well-characterised Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) patient group for antibodies that react with gangliosides. Of 95 GBS patients and 85 control patients analysed, we found that 14 (15%) of GBS patients but only one control patient had antibodies that react with the gangliosides G_M1 and/or G_D1b but not G_M2, G_D1a and G_T1b using a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This pattern of reactivity suggests binding to the carbohydrate structure Gal(β1–3)GalNAc which is shared between some glycolipids and glycoproteins. Similar antibodies have been found previously in a subpopulation of patients with lower motor neuron disease. In the present study, the predominant immunoglobulin class of these anti-glycoconjugate antibodies was IgG rather than IgM. A correlation was found between the presence of these antibodies and prognosus in terms of disability at 3 and 12 months after presentation. Patients with anti-glycoconjugate antibodies also had a higher incidence of previous Campylobacter infections than the rest of the patient group, although the significance of this remains to be determined.