High titre anti-sulphatide antibodies in HIV-infected individuals

Plasma samples from 35 individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection but without peripheral neuropathy were screened by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for IgM and IgG antibodies against sulphatide (GalS). Five of these were shown to contain raised anti-GalS IgM antibody titres, while six had raised IgG titres. All plasma samples screened were compared to an internal neurological disease control which contained raised anti-GalS IgM antibody titres. Anti-GalS IgM antibody titres in the HIV cohort ranged between 200 and 2000 arbitrary units/litre (AU/l), whereas, IgG titres were between 200 and 10,000 AU/l. Two of four plasma samples from HIV-infected individuals with neuropathy (HIV+PN) also showed IgM reactivity with GalS; one also binding to the gangliosides GM1, GD1a, GD1b and GT1b. The other two samples showed IgG reactivity against GalS. These data indicate that antibodies against GalS occur more frequently in HIV infection than in HIV-seronegative individuals with and without neurological disease and may participate in the pathogenesis of neuropathies associated with HIV infection.