The search for an autoimmune origin of psychotic disorders: Prevalence of autoantibodies against hippocampus antigens, glutamic acid decarboxylase and nuclear antigens
Year: 2021
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The etiology of psychotic disorders is still unknown, but in a subgroup of patients symptoms might be caused by an autoimmune reaction. In this study, we tested patterns of autoimmune reactivity against potentially novel hippocampal antigens. Serum of a cohort of 621 individuals with psychotic disorders and 257 controls were first tested for reactivity on neuropil of rat brain sections. Brain reactive sera (67 diseased, 27 healthy) were further tested for antibody binding to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) isotype 65 and 67 by cell-based assay (CBA). A sub-cohort of 199 individuals with psychotic disorders and 152 controls was tested for the prevalence of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) on HEp2-substrate as well as for reactivity to double-stranded DNA, ribosomal P (RPP), and cardiolipin (CL). Incubation of rat brain with serum resulted in unidentified hippocampal binding patterns in both diseased and control groups. Upon screening with GAD CBA, one of these patterns was identified as GAD65 in one individual with schizophrenia and also in one healthy individual. Two diseased and two healthy individuals had low antibody levels targeting GAD67 by CBA. Antibody reactivity on HEp-2-substrate was increased in patients with schizoaffective disorder, but only in 3 patients did antibody testing hint at a possible diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus. Although reactivity of serum to intracellular antigens might be increased in patients with psychotic disorder, no specific targets could be identified. GAD antibodies are very rare and do not seem increased in serum of patients with psychotic disorders.
Source: Schizophrenia Research
Authors: Carolin Hoffmann, Shenghua Zong, Marina Mané-Damas, Jo Stevens, Kishore Malyavantham, Cem İsmail Küçükali, Erdem Tüzün, Marc De Hert, Nico J.M. van Beveren, Emiliano González-Vioque, Celso Arango, Jan G.M.C. Damoiseaux, Bart P. Rutten, Peter C. Molenaar, Mario Losen, Pilar Martinez-Martinez
Institutions: Maastricht University, IMMCO Diagnostics (United States), Istanbul University, University of Antwerp, KU Leuven, Erasmus MC, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Maastricht University Medical Centre
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,250
Funders: Fundación Alicia Koplowitz, European Commission, ZonMw, Istanbul Üniversitesi, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Prinses Beatrix Spierfonds, China Scholarship Council, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Hersenstichting, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, European Regional Development Fund, Chinese Government Scholarship, H2020 European Research Council, FP7 Health
Awards: G1033681661, G1075404386, Evaluación de la eficacia de una intervención preventiva sobre la prevalencia de bullying y el estado de salud en niños y adolescentes: Ensayo clínico aleatorizado por clusters, G3449207296, G3858309480, G3920792168, G5517320352, G5983053349, G6081615879, G6117018885, G6446975009, G646495508, G6976281947, G7335468128, G7336256237, G7362728818, G7402597935, European Network of National Schizophrenia Networks Studying Gene-Environment Interactions, G8351277590, G8384605376, G8950770007
OpenAlex ID: W3130760254