Glycotope mimicry between human ganglioside and bacterial lipopolysaccharide induces autoimmune neuropathy

Some patients have developed Guillain-Barre syndrome after the administration of bovine brain ganglioside. Patients with Guillain-Barre syndrome subsequent to Campylobacter jejuni enteritis frequently have the Ige antibody to GM1 ganglioside. Miller Fisher syndrome, a variant of Guillain-Barre syndrome, is associated with IgG antibody to GQ1b ganglioside. My colleagues and I showed the existence of molecular mimicry between GM 1 and the lipopolysaccharide of C.jejuni isolated from a patient with Guillain-Barre syndrome, and between GQ1b and C. jejuni lipopolysaccharides from patients with Miller Fisher syndrome. The glycotope mimicry between infectious agents and gangliosides may function in the production of anti-gan glioside antibodies and the development of Guillain-Barre syndrome and Miller Fisher syndrome.