Selective depletion of neuropathy-related antibodies from human serum by monolithic affinity columns containing ganglioside mimics.

Monolithic columns containing ganglioside GM2 and GM3 mimics were prepared for selective removal of serum anti-ganglioside antibodies from patients with acute and chronic immune-mediated neuropathies. ELISA results demonstrated that anti-GM2 IgM antibodies in human sera and a mouse monoclonal anti-GM2 antibody were specifically and selectively adsorbed by monolithic GM2 mimic columns and not by blank monolithic columns or monolithic GM3 mimic columns. In control studies, serum antibodies against the ganglioside GQ1b from another neuropathy patient were not depleted by monolithic GM2 mimic columns. Fluorescence microscopy with FITC-conjugated anti-human immunoglobulin antibodies showed that the immobilized ganglioside mimics were evenly distributed along the column. The columns were able to capture ∼95% of the anti-GM2 antibodies of patients after only 2 min of incubation. A monolithic column of 4.4 μL can deplete 28.2 μL of undiluted serum. These columns are potential diagnostic and therapeutic tools for neuropathies related to anti-ganglioside antibodies.