The antibodies to glutamate receptors as potential biomarkers for the spinal cord injury

Background. Inflammatory reactions, neurotoxicity cascade and secondary ischemia are aftermath of spinal cord injury. The neurotoxicity biomarkers can help to assess severity of injury.

The study objective is to detect level of the potential biomarkers of neurotoxicity and neuroinflammation — antibodies to glutamate receptors in blood serum of patients with spinal cord injury in comparison with standard diagnostic data.

Materials and methods. We enrolled 17 patients with spinal cord injury, 10 patients with uncomplicated spine trauma, and 15 healthy volunteers. All participants underwent a neurological examination on the scale of the American Spinal Injury Association and 1.5 Т magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spinal cord. The concentration of antibodies to ionotropic glutamate receptors (NR2A NMDA-recep-tors, AMPA/kainate receptors) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results were compared with the size of the lesion according to MRI data and a neurological scale.

Results. The concentration of AMPA/kainate antibodies in patients with spinal cord injury were increased (p = 0,006 andp = 0,01 respectively) compared to controls and those with uncomplicated spine trauma. We observed a direct correlation (r = 0.57, p <0,05) between the concentration of antibodies to the kainate receptor and the size of the lesion (hyperintensive signal) according to MRI.

Conclusion. The results shows the potential effectiveness of the neurotoxicity biomarkers and the significant role of the antibodies to glutamate receptors in the diagnosis of spinal cord injury.

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