<i>Campylobacter jejuni</i> lipopolysaccharides in Guillain-Barré syndrome: molecular mimicry and host susceptibility

Abstract

&lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Objective:&lt;/b&gt; This study was designed to determine if the presence of specific ganglioside-like moieties in &lt;i&gt;Campylobacter&lt;/i&gt; lipopolysaccharides(LPSs) is related to the development of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), and to discover how frequently such moieties, including GM1, are present in these LPSs.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Methods:&lt;/b&gt; We studied &lt;i&gt;Campylobacter&lt;/i&gt; isolates and sera from seven patients with GBS (five acute motor axonal neuropathy, one acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, and one Fisher's syndrome), and compared them with similar specimens from patients with &lt;i&gt;Campylobacter&lt;/i&gt; enteritis alone.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Results:&lt;/b&gt; All GBS patients had antiganglioside antibodies. Anti-GM1 and anti-GD1a titers were significantly elevated in post-&lt;i&gt;Campylobacter&lt;/i&gt; GBS, both axonal and demyelinating, compared with normal control subjects or those with uncomplicated Campylobacter diarrhea. &lt;i&gt;Campylobacter&lt;/i&gt; isolated from patients with GBS and with enteritis alone had similar ganglioside-like moieties.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;b&gt;Conclusions:&lt;/b&gt; These results indicate that patients who develop GBS respond differently to the ganglioside-like epitopes on Campylobacter than do non-GBS diarrhea patients. Our findings support a role for host susceptibility as a determinant for the outcome following &lt;i&gt;Campylobacter&lt;/i&gt; infection. These findings have important implications for the development of vaccines against &lt;i&gt;Campylobacter jejuni&lt;/i&gt;.&lt;/p&gt