Anti-CASPR2, Anti-LGI1, and Anti-GAD65 Autoantibodies in Patients with Intractable Epilepsy

Abstract

Abstract Background Autoimmunity is increasingly being recognized as a cause of intractable epilepsy. The autoimmune epilepsies (AE) are immunologically mediated disorders in which recurrent seizures are a primary and persistent clinical feature. When other etiologies have been excluded, an autoimmune etiology of epilepsy is suggested in the presence of resistance to anti-epileptic drugs (AED). In such patients, immunotherapy may be highly effective, depending on the particular autoimmune epilepsy syndrome present. Objective To investigate the presence of Contactin associated protein like 2 (CASPR2), leucine rich Glioma inactivated1 (LGI1) and Glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65) autoantibodies in intractable epilepsy, and their association with clinical and imaging findings. Subjects and Methods Seventeen patients with intractable epilepsy were included. LGI1, CASPR2 and GAD65 autoantibodies testing by indirect immunofluorescence cellbased assay in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were assessed in all patients. Results Both serum and CSF samples of the 17 patients were tested negative for the 3 autoantibodies (Anti CASPR2, Anti LGI1 and Anti GAD 65). Regarding CSF examination, only 5 patients had normal CSF, the other 12 showed some changes; 7 had elevated levels of proteins, 3 showed positive oligoclonal bands and elevated IgG index and 2 patients showed both elevated proteins and cells. Conclusion Some cases of AE are associated with specific autoantibodies to neuronal proteins. Clinicians must make a diagnosis based on a combination of clinical phenotypes, CSF results, and neuroimaging. Meanwhile, patients should be followed-up systematically due to the constant discovery of new neuronal auto antibodies.