Spinal cord injury induced autoantibodies as biomarkers that predict disease course (R-10249)

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition that is caused by damage to the spinal cord, often leading to paralysis and loss of sensory function. Currently, neurological scoring systems and imaging of the damaged spinal cord are used to predict how the disease will progress in particular patients. However, the use of these prognostic methods is limited due to inadequate sensitivity on the long-term, which underscores the need for new strategies for the prediction of the disease course in SCI patients. During the injury, the blood-spinal cord barrier is disrupted, resulting in the release of central nervous system proteins into the bloodstream. These proteins elicit an immune response involving the production of autoantibodies, that further contribute to additional damage after the injury. The goal of this project is to identify and characterise novel SCI-induced autoantibodies that will support the prediction of the disease course. Blood samples of SCI patients will be screened for antibodies reactive against spinal cord proteins and their biomarker potential will be characterised. In addition, the active contribution of these autoantibodies in the disease process is investigated using a mouse model for SCI. These SCI-induced autoantibodies have the potential to be excellent biomarkers that provide information about the injury and can be correlated with disease outcome.

Keywords:AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES

Disciplines:Developmental neuroscience, Autoimmunity