g(m1)-ganglioside and Fibromyalgia

Eosinophilia myalgia syndrome (EMS) has been related to intake of "contaminated" L-tryptophan, and an alteration in tryptophan 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) metabolism has been reported in EMS patients. Recently we found that a defined autoantibody pattern consisting of antibodies to nucleoli, gangliosides, and phospholipids is closely related to the fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) which clinically resembles the EMS. We were therefore interested to see whether these antibodies can also be detected in patients with EMS. Studied were 27 patients with acute EMS (13 of whom were also examined 2 years after acute onset), 100 patients with FS, and 40 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS). As controls, sera from 100 blood donors were analyzed. Antibodies to nucleoli were demonstrated by immunofluorescence test on cell cultures in 52% of patients with acute EMS, 62% of patients with chronic EMS, and 37% of FS patients. Western blotting with a nuclear extract from HeLa cells revealed in both diseases the same epitopes at 63, 57, and 53 kDa. Antibodies to 5-HT, gangliosides (Gm1), and phospholipids were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Among patients with FS 73% had antibodies to 5-HT, in contrast to only 19% of patients with acute EMS. However, 77% of the 13 EMS patients analyzed 2 years later had become anti-5-HT antibody positive during that time. Also the incidence of antibodies to Gm1 increased from 37% at acute onset to 69% in patients with chronic EMS (30%). The various antibodies were detected in only 18% of healthy controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Aged; Antibodies, Antiphospholipid; Autoantibodies; Blotting, Western; Cell Nucleolus; Chronic Disease; Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome; Female; Fibromyalgia; Follow-Up Studies; G(M1) Ganglioside; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Serotonin; Tryptophan

To determine the prevalence and potential diagnostic relevance of autoantibodies against serotonin, thromboplastin, and ganglioside Gm1 in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FM).. Sera from 203 patients with FM and 64 pain-free control subjects were analyzed with enzyme immunoassays. Clinical and psychometric data of the patients were analyzed for the presence or absence of autoantibodies.. Compared with control subjects patients with FM had a significantly higher prevalence of autoantibodies against serotonin (20% vs 5%; p = 0.003) and thromboplastin (43% vs 9%; p < 0.001), but not against ganglioside Gm1 (15% vs 9%; p = 0.301). Differences in autoantibody prevalence between controls and FM patients were not related to age or sex. No association was found between autoantibody pattern and clinical or psychometric data, e.g., pain, depression, pain related anxiety, and activities of daily living.. There is an elevated prevalence of antibodies against serotonin and thromboplastin in patients with FM. The pathophysiological significance of this finding is unknown. Calculation of positive predictive values of antiserotonin antibodies shows that measurement of these antibodies has no diagnostic relevance.

Topics: Adult; Autoantibodies; Biomarkers; Cohort Studies; Female; Fibromyalgia; G(M1) Ganglioside; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Predictive Value of Tests; Sensitivity and Specificity; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Serotonin; Thromboplastin