Autoantibodies Against Ganglioside GM3 Represent a Portion of Anti‐Lymphocyte Antibodies in AIDS Patients

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In this study we analysed the relationship between anti‐lymphocytic ganglioside antibodies and anti‐lymphocyte antibodies in AIDS patients. Anti‐lymphocytic ganglioside antibodies were detected by thin layer chromatography (TLC) immunostaining; three colour flow cytometry was used to analyse circulating antibodies against different lymphocyte subsets. Anti‐lymphocytic ganglioside antibodies were detected in 23 out of 49 AIDS patient sera (46.9%). All positive sera reacted selectively with the GM3 comigrating band from AIDS lymphocytes. Twenty two out of the 23 anti‐lymphocytic GM3 positive sera also had antibodies against CD4+ T cells, versus 17/26 anti‐GM3 negative. Furthermore, patients with lymphocytic GM3 antibodies showed a significantly higher antibody reactivity against CD4+ T cells than patients in which these antibodies were not detected. The absorption tests revealed that preincubation of positive sera with GM3 was followed by a decrease in the reaction with target lymphocytes. These findings suggest that anti‐GM3 antibodies are a portion, but not the majority, of antibodies reacting with CD4+ T cells.