Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Update on Nodopathies of the Peripheral Nerve

  • Neuromuscular Disorders (C Fournier, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Neurology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of review

The purpose of this paper is to provide an up-to-date review of the current knowledge on immune-mediated neuropathies secondary to antibodies against nodal and paranodal proteins.

Recent findings

Antibodies against neurofascins and contactin have recently been linked to characteristic neuropathy presentations including a more acute/subacute presentation, involvement of cranial nerves, presence of tremor, and refractory to typical first-line treatments for immune-mediated neuropathies.

Summary

Nodopathies are a group of disorders associated with humoral autoimmunity to antigens of the node, paranode, and juxtaparanode. The clinical syndromes most commonly associated with these antibodies include acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, and combined central and peripheral demyelination. Treatment response is variable, and though most data reported is on NF155, there appears to be a better response to plasma exchange and rituximab followed by prednisone and then IVIG.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

  1. Kuwabara S, Misawa S, Mori M. Nodopathy: chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy with anti-neurofascin 155 antibodies. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2017;88:459–9. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2016-315170.

  2. Oh SJ. Nodal conduction block: a unifying concept. Muscle Nerve. 2021;63:178–80. https://doi.org/10.1002/mus.27115.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Uncini A, Kuwabara S. Nodopathies of the peripheral nerve: an emerging concept. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2015;86:1186–95. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2014-310097.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Stathopoulos P, Alexopoulos H, Dalakas MC. Autoimmune antigenic targets at the node of Ranvier in demyelinating disorders. Nat Rev Neurol Nature Publishing Group. 2015;11:143–56. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2014.260.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Querol L, Devaux J, Rojas-Garcia R, Illa I. Autoantibodies in chronic inflammatory neuropathies: diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Nat Rev Neurol Nature Publishing Group. 2017;13:533–47. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2017.84.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Wolbert J, Cheng MI, Horste GM z, Su MA. Deciphering immune mechanisms in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies. JCI Insight. 2020;5. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.132411.

  7. Vural A, Doppler K, Meinl E. Autoantibodies against the node of ranvier in seropositive chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: diagnostic, pathogenic, and therapeutic relevance. Front Immunol. 2018;9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2018.01029.

  8. Fokke C, van den Berg B, Drenthen J, Walgaard C, van Doorn PA, Jacobs BC. Diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome and validation of Brighton criteria. Brain. 2014;137:33–43. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awt285.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Desforges JF, Ropper AH. The Guillain–Barré syndrome. N Engl J Med. 1992;326:1130–6. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199204233261706.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Saperstein DS, Katz JS, Amato AA, Barohn RJ. Clinical spectrum of chronic acquired demyelinating polyneuropathies. Muscle Nerve. 2001;24:311–24. https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-4598(200103)24:3<311::AID-MUS1001>3.0.CO;2-A.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Ruts L, van Koningsveld R, van Doorn PA. Distinguishing acute-onset CIDP from Guillain-Barre syndrome with treatment related fluctuations. Neurology. 2005;65:138–40. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000167549.09664.b8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Kawamura N, Yamasaki R, Yonekawa T, Matsushita T, Kusunoki S, Nagayama S, et al. Anti-neurofascin antibody in patients with combined central and peripheral demyelination. Neurology. 2013;81:714–22. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182a1aa9c.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Doneddu PE, Cocito D, Manganelli F, Fazio R, Briani C, Filosto M, et al. Atypical CIDP: diagnostic criteria, progression and treatment response. Data from the Italian CIDP Database. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2019;90:125–32. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2018-318714.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Katz JS, Saperstein DS, Gronseth G, Amato AA, Barohn RJ. Distal acquired demyelinating symmetric neuropathy. Neurology. 2000;54:615–5. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.54.3.615.

  15. Saperstein DS, Amato AA, Wolfe GI, Katz JS, Nations SP, Jackson CE, et al. Multifocal acquired demyelinating sensory and motor neuropathy: the Lewis-Sumner syndrome. Muscle Nerve. 1999;22:560–6. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-4598(199905)22:5<560::AID-MUS2>3.0.CO;2-Q.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Lewis RA, Sumner AJ, Brown MJ, Asbury AK. Multifocal demyelinating neuropathy with persistent conduction block. Neurology. 1982;32:958–8. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.32.9.958.

  17. Querol L, Nogales-Gadea G, Rojas-Garcia R, Martinez-Hernandez E, Diaz-Manera J, Suárez-Calvet X, et al. Antibodies to contactin-1 in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Ann Neurol. 2013;73:370–80. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.23794.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Delmont E, Manso C, Querol L, Cortese A, Berardinelli A, Lozza A, et al. Autoantibodies to nodal isoforms of neurofascin in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Brain. 2017;140:1851–8. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awx124.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Querol L, Nogales-Gadea G, Rojas-Garcia R, Diaz-Manera J, Pardo J, Ortega-Moreno A, et al. Neurofascin IgG4 antibodies in CIDP associate with disabling tremor and poor response to IVIg. Neurology. 2014;82:879–86. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000000205.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Devaux JJ, Miura Y, Fukami Y, Inoue T, Manso C, Belghazi M, et al. Neurofascin-155 IgG4 in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Neurology. 2016;86:800–7. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000002418.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Dubey D, Honorat JA, Shelly S, Klein CJ, Komorowski L, Mills JR, et al. Contactin-1 autoimmunity: Serologic, neurologic, and pathologic correlates. Neurol Neuroimmunol neuroinflammation. 2020;7:e771. https://doi.org/10.1212/NXI.0000000000000771.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Ogata H, Yamasaki R, Hiwatashi A, Oka N, Kawamura N, Matsuse D, et al. Characterization of IgG4 anti-neurofascin 155 antibody-positive polyneuropathy. Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 2015;2:960–71. https://doi.org/10.1002/acn3.248.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Martinez-Martinez L, Lleixà MC, Boera-Carnicero G, Cortese A, Devaux J, Siles A, et al. Anti-NF155 chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy strongly associates to HLA-DRB15. J Neuroinflammation. 2017;14:224. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12974-017-0996-1.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Doppler K, Appeltshauser L, Wilhelmi K, Villmann C, Dib-Hajj SD, Waxman SG, et al. Destruction of paranodal architecture in inflammatory neuropathy with anti-contactin-1 autoantibodies. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2015;86:720–8. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2014-309916.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. •• Burnor E, Yang L, Zhou H, Patterson KR, Quinn C, Reilly MM, et al. Neurofascin antibodies in autoimmune, genetic, and idiopathic neuropathies. Neurology. 2018;90:e31–8. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000004773 A thorough description of the temporal evolution and isoform specificity of neurofascin antibodies in patients with autoimmune peripheral neuropathies and its implication in therapy.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Querol L, Illa I. Paranodal and other autoantibodies in chronic inflammatory neuropathies. Curr Opin Neurol. 2015;28:474–9. https://doi.org/10.1097/WCO.0000000000000233.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Querol L, Siles AM, Alba-Rovira R, Jáuregui A, Devaux J, Faivre-Sarrailh C, et al. Antibodies against peripheral nerve antigens in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. Sci Rep. 2017;7:14411. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-14853-4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Doppler K, Appeltshauser L, Villmann C, Martin C, Peles E, Krämer HH, et al. Auto-antibodies to contactin-associated protein 1 (Caspr) in two patients with painful inflammatory neuropathy. Brain. 2016;139:2617–30. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/aww189.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Breiner A, Brannagan TH. Comparison of sensitivity and specificity among 15 criteria for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Muscle Nerve. 2014;50:40–6. https://doi.org/10.1002/mus.24088.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Van den Bergh PYK, Hadden RDM, Bouche P, Cornblath DR, Hahn A, Illa I, et al. European Federation of Neurological Societies/Peripheral Nerve Society Guideline on management of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: report of a joint task force of the European Federation of Neurological Societies and the Peripher. Eur J Neurol. 2010;17:356–63. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-1331.2009.02930.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Magda P, Latov N, Brannagan TH, Weimer LH, Chin RL, Sander HW. Comparison of electrodiagnostic abnormalities and criteria in a cohort of patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Arch Neurol. 2003;60:1755. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.60.12.1755.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Al-Shekhlee A, Hachwi RN, Preston DC, Katirji B. New criteria for early electrodiagnosis of acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Muscle Nerve. 2005;32:66–72. https://doi.org/10.1002/mus.20342.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Yiannikas C, Vucic S. Utility of somatosensory evoked potentials in chronic acquired demyelinating neuropathy. Muscle Nerve. 2008;38:1447–54. https://doi.org/10.1002/mus.21078.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Devic P, Petiot P, Mauguiere F. Diagnostic utility of somatosensory evoked potentials in chronic polyradiculopathy without electrodiagnostic signs of peripheral demyelination. Muscle Nerve. 2016;53:78–83. https://doi.org/10.1002/mus.24693.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Kouton L, Boucraut J, Devaux J, Rajabally YA, Adams D, Antoine JC, et al. Electrophysiological features of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy associated with IgG4 antibodies targeting neurofascin 155 or contactin 1 glycoproteins. Clin Neurophysiol. 2020;131:921–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2020.01.013 Largest cohort of patients with neurofascin-155 antibodies describing electrophysiologic findings.

  36. Barohn RJ. Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy. Arch Neurol. 1989;46:878. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.1989.00520440064022.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Di Pasquale A, Morino S, Loreti S, Bucci E, Vanacore N, Antonini G. Peripheral nerve ultrasound changes in CIDP and correlations with nerve conduction velocity. Neurology. 2015;84:803–9. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000001291.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Scheidl E, Böhm J, Simó M, Rózsa C, Bereznai B, Kovács T, et al. Ultrasonography of MADSAM neuropathy: focal nerve enlargements at sites of existing and resolved conduction blocks. Neuromuscul Disord. 2012;22:627–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nmd.2012.03.005.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Goedee HS, Herraets IJT, Visser LH, Franssen H, Asseldonk JH, Pol WL, et al. Nerve ultrasound can identify treatment-responsive chronic neuropathies without electrodiagnostic features of demyelination. Muscle Nerve. 2019;60:415–9. https://doi.org/10.1002/mus.26629.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Herraets IJT, Goedee HS, Telleman JA, van Eijk RPA, van Asseldonk JT, Visser LH, et al. Nerve ultrasound improves detection of treatment-responsive chronic inflammatory neuropathies. Neurology. 2020;94:e1470–9. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000008978 Important paper that demonstrates the role of ultrasonography in the evaluation of inflammatory neuropathies.

  41. Herraets IJT, Goedee HS, Telleman JA, van Eijk RPA, Verhamme C, Saris CGJ, et al. Nerve ultrasound for diagnosing chronic inflammatory neuropathy. Neurology. 2020;95:e1745–53. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000010369.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Goedee HS, van der Pol WL, van Asseldonk J-TH, Franssen H, Notermans NC, Vrancken AJFE, et al. Diagnostic value of sonography in treatment-naive chronic inflammatory neuropathies. Neurology. 2017;88:143–51. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000003483.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Garg N, Park SB, Yiannikas C, Vucic S, Howells J, Noto Y-I, et al. Neurofascin-155 IGG4 Neuropathy: pathophysiological insights, spectrum of clinical severity and response to treatment. Muscle Nerve. 2018;57:848–51. https://doi.org/10.1002/mus.26010.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Lozeron P, Lacour M-C, Vandendries C, Théaudin M, Cauquil C, Denier C, et al. Contribution of plexus MRI in the diagnosis of atypical chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathies. J Neurol Sci. 2016;360:170–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jns.2015.11.048.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Hughes RA, Donofrio P, Bril V, Dalakas MC, Deng C, Hanna K, et al. Intravenous immune globulin (10% caprylate-chromatography purified) for the treatment of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (ICE study): a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Neurol. 2008;7:136–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(07)70329-0.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Rajabally YA, Afzal S. Clinical and economic comparison of an individualised immunoglobulin protocol vs. standard dosing for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. J Neurol. 2019;266:461–7. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-018-9157-4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. van Schaik IN, Bril V, van Geloven N, Hartung H-P, Lewis RA, Sobue G, et al. Subcutaneous immunoglobulin for maintenance treatment in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (PATH): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet Neurol. 2018;17:35–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(17)30378-2.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Mahdi-Rogers M, Brassington R, Gunn AA, van Doorn PA, Hughes RA. Immunomodulatory treatment other than corticosteroids, immunoglobulin and plasma exchange for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;5:CD003280. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003280.pub5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Querol L, Rojas-García R, Diaz-Manera J, Barcena J, Pardo J, Ortega-Moreno A, et al. Rituximab in treatment-resistant CIDP with antibodies against paranodal proteins. Neurol - Neuroimmunol Neuroinflammation. 2015;2:e149. https://doi.org/10.1212/NXI.0000000000000149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Ng JKM, Malotka J, Kawakami N, Derfuss T, Khademi M, Olsson T, et al. Neurofascin as a target for autoantibodies in peripheral neuropathies. Neurology. 2012;79:2241–8. https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0b013e31827689ad.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  51. Kadoya M, Kaida K, Koike H, Takazaki H, Ogata H, Moriguchi K, et al. IgG4 anti-neurofascin155 antibodies in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: clinical significance and diagnostic utility of a conventional assay. J Neuroimmunol. 2016;301:16–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroim.2016.10.013.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Miura Y, Devaux JJ, Fukami Y, Manso C, Belghazi M, Wong AHY, et al. Contactin 1 IgG4 associates to chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy with sensory ataxia. Brain. 2015;138:1484–91. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awv054.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  53. Doppler K, Stengel H, Appeltshauser L, Grosskreutz J, Man Ng JK, Meinl E, et al. Neurofascin-155 IgM autoantibodies in patients with inflammatory neuropathies. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2018;89:1145–51. https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2018-318170 First and only report of IgM neurofascin-155 antibodies and their potential role in immune-mediated neuropathies.

  54. Huijbers MG, Querol LA, Niks EH, Plomp JJ, van der Maarel SM, Graus F, et al. The expanding field of IgG4-mediated neurological autoimmune disorders. Eur J Neurol. 2015;22:1151–61. https://doi.org/10.1111/ene.12758.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rocio Garcia-Santibanez MD.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Neuromuscular Disorders

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Vizcarra, J.A., Harrison, T.B. & Garcia-Santibanez, R. Update on Nodopathies of the Peripheral Nerve. Curr Treat Options Neurol 23, 25 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11940-021-00683-3

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11940-021-00683-3

Keywords

Navigation