Detection of anti-heat shock protein 90 β (Hsp90β) antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid

Abstract

Antibodies against heat shock protein 90β (Hsp90β) recognize the antigen on the cell surface of the oligodendrocyte precursor cells and cause a decrease of oligodendrocyte population in cell cultures. These antibodies have been found in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This report describes an original and sensitive method to detect anti-Hsp90β antibodies in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using a western blot procedure. We have developed the method for autoantibody detection using Hsp90β from cell membrane fraction instead of commercial Hsp90β as antigen. The presence of anti-Hsp90β antibodies in CSF of MS patients may play a pathogenic role in MS, and a large-scale study is needed to establish a possible diagnostic value of these antibodies in MS patients.