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. 2022 Jan 17;12:744653. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.744653

Table 5.

Major experimental attempts to produce an animal model of paraneoplastic neurological disease associated with antibodies targeting intracellular neuronal antigens.

References Antigen targeted Species Method Study duration Outcome
Graus et al. (73) Yo Guinea pigs Intraventricular infusion of anti-Yo or normal IgG 15 days Uptake of both anti-Yo and normal IgG by Purkinje cells on day 16 but not at days 22 and 45.
No observed Purkinje cell death or neurological change in animals
Tanaka et al. (74) Yo Mice Intracranial injection of human anti-Yo IgG with and without complement or activated monocytes Up to 50 h Uptake of human anti-Yo IgG by Purkinje cells.
No detected Purkinje cell loss
Mice Immunization with recombinant Yo protein 15 days for pathology, 3 months for observation Development of high antibody titers
No definite uptake of antibody by Purkinje cell
Rats Intraventricular injection 1 week No Purkinje cell loss.
Brains not studied for antibody uptake by neurons.
Tanaka et al. (75) Yo Mice Immunization of multiple mouse strains with recombinant Yo protein >2 months No Purkinje cell loss or ataxia
Strong peripheral anti-Yo production
Brains not studied for uptake by neurons.
Tanaka et al. (76) Yo Mice Injection of human anti-Yo IgG into occipital lobes 50 h Antibody uptake by Purkinje cells.
No Purkinje cell loss
Mice Injection of mouse recombinant anti-Yo IgG into mouse brain parenchyma 3–4 months High titers of anti-Yo antibody.
No neurological abnormalities
No Purkinje cell loss
Brains not studied for antibody uptake by neurons
Mice Adoptive transfer) of lymphocytes from mice immunized with recombinant Yo protein with and without recombinant anti-Yo antibodies 1 month No neurological abnormalities
No Purkinje cell loss
Brains not studied for antibody uptake by neurons.
SCID Mice Adoptive transfer of peripheral mononuclear cells from a patient with anti-Yo antibody 1 month No neurological abnormalities
No Purkinje cell loss
Attempts to detect intraneuronal IgG not described
Greenlee et al. (77) Yo Rats Intraperitoneal injection of human anti-Yo antibody following blood-brain barrier disruption 4 days Anti-Yo IgG uptake by Purkinje cells.
No evidence of Purkinje cell death
No neurological abnormalities
Sillevis Smitt et al. (78) Hu Mice Passive intravenous transfer of human anti-Hu IgG 48 h No evidence of anti-Hu IgG in brains of animals perfused to remove intravascular IgG
No evidence of antibody uptake by neurons in perfused brains)a
Mice, Rats, Guinea pigs Immunization with HuD recombinant protein Up to 21 weeks High serum antibody titers:
No evidence of penetration of IgG into brain parenchyma or neurons in brains perfused to remove intravascular IgG
Tanaka et al. (79) Yo Mice Immunization of female mice with recombinant protein; evaluation of offspring to detect transplacental passage of antibody to offspring with undeveloped blood-brain barriers At birth and later No Purkinje cell loss at birth
No ataxia in newborn animals allowed to mature
Brains not studied for antibody uptake.
Sakai et al. (80) Yo Mice Immunization of mice with recombinant PCD17 protein generated using anti-Yo antibody (81) 1 year Generation of high serum antibody titers.
Presence of IgG in Purkinje cells of immunized mice, No identified Purkinje cell death or neurological abnormalities
Sakai et al. (82) Yo Mice Immunization with DNA encoding recombinant PCD17 protein Up to 1 year Generation of antibody response which could lyse syngeneic myeloma cells pulsed with H-2K-restricted PCD17 peptide.
No Purkinje cell loss or neurological abnormality
Brains not studied for antibody uptake.
Pellkofer et al. (83) Ma1 Adoptive transfer of lymphocytes from syngeneic rats immunized with recombinant Ma1 protein 9 days Meningeal and perivascular inflammatory changes. No evidence of neuronal injury
Sakai et al. (84) Yo Mice Immunization with recombinant yeast expressing recombinant (pcd17) Yo antigen 6 months Generation of antibodies reactive with Purkinje cells and of T lymphocytes sensitized to pcd17
No clinical signs or Purkinje cell loss.
Brains not studied for antibody uptake.

This study contained important controls for the detection of adventitious entry of antibodies into neurons in post mortem tissue sections.