AUTHOR=Dziadkowiak Edyta , Moreira Helena , Buska-Mach Katarzyna , Szmyrka Magdalena , Budrewicz Sławomir , Barg Ewa , Janik Marta , Pokryszko-Dragan Anna 

TITLE=Occult Autoimmune Background for Epilepsy—The Preliminary Study on Antibodies Against Neuronal Surface Antigens

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2021.660126

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2021.660126

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objective:</bold> The objective of the study was to determine the incidence of antibodies against neuronal surface antigens (NSA-ab) in patients with different types of epilepsy, in comparison with the subjects diagnosed with immune-mediated disorders.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Forty patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) of unknown origin, 16 with post-stroke epilepsy, and 23 with systemic autoimmune disorders (SAD) with CNS involvement were included. NSA-ab were sought in serum using indirect immunofluorescence method. Relationships were analyzed between presence of NSA-ab and clinical presentation.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> NSA-ab was detected in the sera from five patients: anti-DPPX in one patient, anti-AMPAR1/R2 in two, anti-LGI1 in one and, in one case, both anti-CASPR2 and DPPX IgG. Out of these five patients, three represented the SAD subgroup and two the DRE subgroup. None of the patients with post-stroke epilepsy was positive for NSA-ab.</p><p><bold>Significance:</bold> Autoimmune etiology is worth considering in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy of unknown origin. The presence of NSA-ab in patients with systemic autoimmune disorders may be caused by unspecifically enhanced autoimmune reactivity. NSA-ab seem not to be related to epilepsy resulting from ischemic brain injury.</p>