Oligoclonal immunoglobulins in cerebrospinal fluid during varicella zoster virus (VZV) vasculopathy are directed against VZV

Abstract

Limited analyses of cerebrospinal fluid from patients with central nervous system infections have shown that the oligoclonal IgG is antibody directed against the agent that causes disease. Using a new method involving binding of IgG to beads coated with lysates prepared from candidate infectious antigens, we showed that the oligoclonal IgG in cerebrospinal fluid of a patient with chronic varicella zoster virus vasculopathy is directed against the causative virus. This approach holds promise in identifying and purifying the relevant oligoclonal IgGs in inflammatory central nervous system diseases of unknown cause.

Fig

Absorption of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Ig to virusinfected lysates coupled to beads. (A) Resolution by isoelectric focusing (IEF) and silver-staining of proteins in CSF from patient with varicella zoster virus (VZV) vasculopathy (lane 1, CSF) and in CSF that does not bind to lysates of VZV-infected (lane 2, VZV unbound) or uninfected (lane 3, MeWo unbound) cells. Arrow denotes a band from the VZV vasculopathy CSF that disappeared after absorption with VZV lysate (lane 2) but not after absorption with uninfected lysate (lane 3). CSF from patient with VZV vasculopathy (lane 4, CSF) was also compared with CSF protein bound and eluted from lysates of uninfected (lane 5, MeWo elution) and VZV-infected (lane 6, VZV elution) cells. The same CSF (lane 7, CSF) was again compared with CSF protein bound and eluted from lysates of uninfected (lane 8, Vero elution) and MV-infected (lane 9, MV elution) cells. Multiple bands of IgG in the CSF of the patient with VZV vasculopathy were eluted only from the VZV lysate (lane 6, VZV elution), but not from any other lysates (lanes 5, 8, and 9). (B) Resolution by IEF and silver-staining of protein in CSF from patient with SSPE (lane 1, SSPE CSF), and in CSF that does not bind to lysates of MV-infected (lane 2, MV unbound) or uninfected (lane 3, Vero unbound) cells. CSF from SSPE patient (lane 4, SSPE CSF) was also compared with CSF protein bound and eluted from lysates of uninfected (lane 5, MeWo elution) and VZV-infected (lane 6, VZV elution) cells. The same CSF (lane 7, SSPE CSF) was again compared with CSF protein bound and eluted from lysates of uninfected (lane 8, Vero elution) and MV-infected (lane 9, MV elution) cells. Multiple bands of IgG in the CSF of the patient with SSPE were eluted only from the MV lysate (lane 9, MV elution), but not from any other lysates (lanes 5, 6, and 8). pH scale indicated on gel, + anode, − cathode.