Research: Virus in the CSF

KuĊ‚akowska et al. Multiplexing analysis of the polyspecific intrathecal immune response in multiple sclerosis.Methods. 2012 Mar 16. [Epub ahead of print]



Intrathecal synthesis of the antibodies specific to neurotrofic viruses: measles (M), rubella (R), Varicella-Zoster (Z), and/or H. simplex (H), known as "MRZH-reaction" plays important diagnostic role in multiple sclerosis (MS). Whereas the analysis of the oligoclonal IgG bands provides high sensitivity, the MRZH-reaction shows high specificity, and hence these methods complement each other. For the first time we applied multiplexing bead-based technology to simultaneously analyze cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum concentrations of antibodies against these viruses, and to calculate the antibody specific indices (ASI's). The method shows reasonable precision: intra-assay, 2.9-6.7%, and inter-assay, 2.0-3.2%. The results are comparable with these obtained with other methods (ELISAs), including two runs of the certified external quality control schemes. Eighty-one percent of the MS cases (n=27) and none of the sex- and age-matched controls (n=14), except one subject with "borderline" anti-measles ASI of 1.5, showed intrathecal synthesis of IgG against at least one of the viruses discussed. The ratios of the MRZH-positive cases in the MS group were: 12/22 for M, 12/19 for R, 13/26 for Z, and 7/26 for H. We conclude that the multiplexing technology can be applied as a tool to study the intrathecal immune response in the diagnosis of MS.




Viruses have been associated as a trigger factor of MS, but it may not always be the same virus and so assaying form more than one at the same time may be a better idea than looking for one at a time. This study reports a way to look for evidence of past viral encounter by looking for antibodies in the brain-bathing fluid, the cerebrospinal fluid. This study found that about 80% had encountered at least one of four viruses compared to no healthy individuals. However we know that MS is associated with a leaky barrier that fails to stop white blood cells, including antibody producing cells, and antibody from entering the brain, so could that account for the elevated level of viral-specific antibody being detected in the brain or is it really disease related and what about Epstein Barr Virus.

Labels: ,