Accession Number:

AD1028456

Title:

Novel Autoantibody Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkesin Veterans with Gulf War Illness

Descriptive Note:

Technical Report,30 Sep 2015,29 Sep 2016

Corporate Author:

TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIV MA BOSTON United States

Personal Author(s):

• Sullivan,Kimberly

Report Date:

2016-10-01

Pagination or Media Count:

12.0

Abstract:

The purpose of this project is to develop objective peripheral biomarkers for Gulf War Illness GWI. We plan to determine circulating autoantibodies to ten proteins associated with the central nervous system in sera and plasma from a group of 250 Gulf War veterans with Gulf War Illness GWI and from 200 controls 100 healthy GW controls, 100 disease controls. Preliminary results using Western blot assay showed increased levels of autoantibodies in GWI cases compared to symptomatic controls in the following descending order CaMKII GFAP Tau Tubulin MAG MAP-2 MBP NFP S100B ranging from 2-8 fold higher. These results confirm the continuing presence of autoantibodies against neuronal and glial cells in these veterans and are in agreement with recent reports indicating that 25 years after the war, the health of veterans with GWI is not improving and may be getting worse. Such blood-based autoantibodies may prove useful as biomarkers of GWI, upon validation of the findings using our collective larger cohorts.

Descriptors:

• chronic fatigue syndrome
• public health
• therapeutics
• biological markers
• central nervous system
• nervous system
• wounds and injuries
• environmental exposure
• biomedical research
• agent orange
• PERSIAN GULF WAR
• illness

Subject Categories:

• Medicine and Medical Research
• Anatomy and Physiology

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE