Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with IgM antibody against gangliosides GM2 and GD2.

Abstract

We report a case of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with IgM antibody against gangliosides GM2 and GD2. A 57-year-old woman presented with slowly progressive muscular weakness of the upper extremities and dysarthria. She fulfilled the clinical and electrophysiological criteria of ALS, and died from sudden suffocation about 3 years after the onset of illness. The patient's serum IgM antibody was shown to recognize the structure shared by GM2 and GD2. Since anti-GM2 antibodies have been implicated in motor neuropathy or motor neuron syndrome, this rare case might contribute to the understanding of the immunological aspects of ALS.

• Authors: Kotaro Mizutani, Nobuyuki Oka, Susumu Kusunoki, Ryuji Kaji, Masutaro Kanda, Ichiro Akiguchi, Hiroshi Shibasaki
• Journal: Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan) (Intern Med) Vol. 42 Issue 3 Pg. 277-80 (Mar 2003) ISSN: 0918-2918 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 12705795 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies
• Gangliosides
• Immunoglobulin M
• G(M2) Ganglioside
• ganglioside, GD2

Topics

• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (immunology)
• Antibodies (analysis)
• Fatal Outcome
• Female
• G(M2) Ganglioside (immunology)
• Gangliosides (immunology)
• Humans
• Immunoglobulin M (immunology)
• Middle Aged