Onconeural antigens and the paraneoplastic neurologic disorders: at the intersection of cancer, immunity, and the brain.
Abstract
Paraneoplastic neurologic disorders (PNDs) are believed to be autoimmune neuronal degenerations that develop in some patients with systemic cancer. A series of genes encoding previously undiscovered neuronal proteins have been cloned using antiserum from PND patients. Identification of these onconeural antigens suggests a reclassification of the disorders into four groups: those in which neuromuscular junction proteins, nerve terminal/vesicle-associated proteins, neuronal RNA binding proteins, or neuronal signal-transduction proteins serve as target antigens. This review considers insights into basic neurobiology, tumor immunology, and autoimmune neuronal degeneration offered by the characterization of the onconeural antigens.
- Publication:
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
- Pub Date:
- May 1996
- DOI:
- 10.1073/pnas.93.10.4529
- Bibcode:
- 1996PNAS...93.4529D