Assessing and treating autoimmune ataxia

Abstract

Methods and materials herein are useful for assessing and/or treating autoimmune ataxias associated with septin-specific autoantibodies septin-5-specific autoantibodies For example, septin-5 polypeptides are provided as well as methods for using septin-5 polypeptides to detect septin-5-specific autoantibodies and/or to treat a mammal having an autoimmune ataxia.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method, comprising:
 (a) contacting a biological sample from a patient having or suspected of having immunotherapy-responsive autoimmune cerebellar ataxia with a septin-5 polypeptide to form a septin-5/septin-5-specific autoantibody complex if said biological sample contains septin-5-specific autoantibodies;   (b) detecting the presence or absence of said complex; and   (c) treating the patient when the presence of said complex is detected.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said method comprises performing a western blot to detect said complex. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said biological sample is selected from the group consisting of whole blood, serum, plasma, and cerebrospinal fluid. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the patient has septin-5-specific autoantibodies. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein step (c) comprises treating the patient with one or more septin-5 polypeptides. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein treating the patient comprises depleting septin-5-specific autoantibodies from the patient. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein step (c) is effective to reduce one or more symptoms of the autoimmune ataxia. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein step (c) comprises:
 i) withdrawing a body fluid from the patient;   ii) removing a substantial portion of septin-5-specific autoantibodies from the fluid; and   iii) returning the fluid to the patient.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein step (c) comprises administering one or more selected from the group consisting of an immunomodulatory agent, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, septin-5 specific tolerance induction strategy, and an immunotherapy targeting septin-5-specific T cells and/or B cells. 
     
     
         25 . A kit, comprising:
 a septin-5 polypeptide, and   an anti-IgG antibody.   
     
     
         26 . The kit of  claim 25 , wherein said anti-IgG antibody is an anti-human IgG antibody. 
     
     
         27 . The kit of  claim 26 , wherein said anti-human IgG antibody comprises a covalently attached label. 
     
     
         28 . The kit of  claim 25 , wherein said kit comprises an anti-septin-5 antibody. 
     
     
         29 . The kit of  claim 28 , wherein said septin-5 antibody is an anti-human septin-5 antibody. 
     
     
         30 . A method of treating a mammal having an autoimmune ataxia associated with septin-5-specific autoantibodies, wherein said method comprises:
 (a) withdrawing a biological fluid from the mammal, wherein the biological fluid. contains septin-5-specific autoantibodies;   (b) contacting said biological fluid with a septin-5 polypeptide to remove a substantial portion of said septin-5-specific autoantibodies from said biological fluid; and   (c) returning the biological fluid to the mammal.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said mammal is a human. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said biological fluid comprises blood. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein said autoimmune ataxia is an autoimmune cerebellar ataxia. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the immunosuppressant is selected from the group consisting of corticosteroids, mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, tacrolimus, cyclophosphamide, rituximab, mTOR inhibitors, methotrexate, anti-CD19 monoclonal antibodies, and anti-I1-6 monoclonal antibodies.