Multiple sclerosis-specific central nervous system antigens (MSG2): a blind study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Immunology
• Virology

Background:

• Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease.
• Previous research identified a glycoprotein fraction (G2) potentially specific to MS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if the G2 glycoprotein fraction, specific for MS, could be isolated from cryopreserved autopsy central nervous system (CNS) tissue.
• To investigate the presence of MS-specific CNS antigens (MSG2) in MS patients compared to other neurological diseases (OND) and controls.

Main Methods:

• A blinded study utilized cryopreserved autopsy CNS tissue from MS patients, OND patients, and sudden death controls.
• Crossed immunoisoelectrophoresis (CIE) was performed to detect the G2 fraction and MSG2.
• Tandem CIE was used to validate the G2 fraction against a known MSG2 preparation.

Main Results:

• MS-specific CNS antigen (MSG2) was detected in 78% of MS patients' CNS sections.
• MSG2 was present in all spinal cord sections from MS patients.
• No MSG2 was found in CNS sections from OND patients or controls.

Conclusions:

• The presence of MSG2 in MS CNS tissue supports its specificity for multiple sclerosis.
• The findings suggest that MSG2 may involve a glycoprotein from a persistent virus, potentially measles or myelin-related.