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Journal article

Intrathecal B cell activation in LGI1-antibody encephalitis

Abstract:

Objective:
To study intrathecal B-cell activity in leucine-rich, glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1) antibody encephalitis. In patients with LGI1 antibodies, the lack of CSF lymphocytosis or oligoclonal bands and serum-predominant LGI1 antibodies suggests a peripherally initiated immune response. However, it is unknown whether B cells within the CNS contribute to the ongoing pathogenesis of LGI1 antibody encephalitis.


Methods:
Paired CSF and peripheral blood (PB) mononuclear cells were collected from 6 patients with LGI1 antibody encephalitis and 2 patients with other neurologic diseases. Deep B-cell immune repertoire sequencing was performed on immunoglobulin heavy chain transcripts from CSF B cells and sorted PB B-cell subsets. In addition, LGI1 antibody levels were determined in CSF and PB.


Results:
Serum LGI1 antibody titers were on average 127-fold higher than CSF LGI1 antibody titers. Yet, deep B-cell repertoire analysis demonstrated a restricted CSF repertoire with frequent extensive clusters of clonally related B cells connected to mature PB B cells. These clusters showed intensive mutational activity of CSF B cells, providing strong evidence for an independent CNS-based antigen-driven response in patients with LGI1 antibody encephalitis but not in controls.


Conclusions:
Our results demonstrate that intrathecal immunoglobulin repertoire expansion is a feature of LGI1 antibody encephalitis and suggests a need for CNS-penetrant therapies.

Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1212/NXI.0000000000000669

Authors


More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
Clinical Neurosciences
Oxford college:
St Hilda's College
Role:
Author



Publisher:
Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins
Journal:
Neurology, Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation More from this journal
Volume:
7
Issue:
2
Article number:
e669
Publication date:
2020-02-06
Acceptance date:
2019-12-24
DOI:
EISSN:
2332-7812


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
pubs:1079566
UUID:
uuid:04c651ef-cf6d-4539-8ad5-747b9e1e5204
Local pid:
pubs:1079566
Source identifiers:
1079566
Deposit date:
2019-12-24

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