Anti‐Ri: An antibody associated with paraneoplastic opsoclonus and breast cancer Journal Article


Authors: Luque, F. A.; Furneaux, H. M.; Ferziger, R.; Rosenblum, M. K.; Wray, S. H.; Schold, S. C. Jr; Glantz, M. J.; Jaeckle, K. A.; Biran, H.; Lesser, M.; Paulsen, W. A.; River, M. E.; Posner, J. B.
Article Title: Anti‐Ri: An antibody associated with paraneoplastic opsoclonus and breast cancer
Abstract: The serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 8 women with ataxia, 6 of whom also had eye movement abnormalities believed to be opsoclonus, were found to contain a highly specific antineuronal antibody we call anti‐Ri. Seven of the 8 women also had or developed cancer: carcinoma of the breast in 5, adenocarcinoma in an axillary lymph node in 1, and carcinoma of the fallopian tube in 1. Four patients presented with the neurological disorder; the cancer was diagnosed first in the other 4. Immunohistochemical studies using serum or CSF from all 8 patients revealed a highly specific antibody interaction with central nervous system neuronal nuclei but not with glial or other cells; the titer ranged from 1:5,000 to 1:320,000 in serum and from 1:2,000 to 1:16,000 in CSF. Biotinylated IgG from the patients' serum reacted with the tumors of 3 of 4 patients with anti‐Ri antibody but not with breast cancers from patients without anti‐Ri antibody. Immunoblots against cerebral cortex neuronal extracts identified protein antigens of 55‐kd and 80‐kd relative molecular mass. Serum titers by immunoblot ranged from 1:500 to more than 1:40,000 and CSF titers, from 1:10 to 1:2,000. The relative amount of anti‐Ri was always higher in CSF than in serum. The antibody was not present in sera from normal individuals; patients with breast cancer without opsoclonus; other patients with opsoclonus; or patients with other paraneoplastic syndromes related to breast, ovarian, or small‐cell lung cancer. We conclude that the presence of anti‐Ri antibody identifies a subset of patients with paraneoplastic ataxia and eye movement disorders (opsoclonus) who usually suffer from breast or other gynecological cancer; the antibody when present is a useful marker for an underlying malignancy. Copyright © 1991 American Neurological Association
Keywords: immunohistochemistry; adult; clinical article; human tissue; aged; prednisone; doxorubicin; fluorouracil; antineoplastic agent; breast cancer; cyclophosphamide; neurons; breast neoplasms; blotting, western; cerebral cortex; opsoclonus; paraneoplastic syndrome; antibodies, neoplasm; antibody; middle age; antibodies, anti-idiotypic; paraneoplastic syndromes; human; female; priority journal; article; support, non-u.s. gov't; support, u.s. gov't, p.h.s.; eye movements
Journal Title: Annals of Neurology
Volume: 29
Issue: 3
ISSN: 0364-5134
Publisher: Wiley Blackwell  
Date Published: 1991-03-01
Start Page: 241
End Page: 251
Language: English
DOI: 10.1002/ana.410290303
PUBMED: 2042940
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 27 September 2019 -- Source: Scopus
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  1. Marc Rosenblum
    424 Rosenblum
  2. Jerome B Posner
    211 Posner