The crucial role of Campylobacter jejuni genes in anti-ganglioside antibody induction in Guillain-Barré syndrome

Molecular mimicry of Campylobacter jejuni lipo-oligosaccharides (LOS) with \ gangliosides in nervous tissue is considered to induce cross-reactive \ antibodies that lead to Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), an acute \ polyneuropathy. To determine whether specific bacterial genes are crucial \ for the biosynthesis of ganglioside-like structures and the induction of \ anti-ganglioside antibodies, we characterized the C. jejuni LOS \ biosynthesis gene locus in GBS-associated and control strains. We \ demonstrated that specific types of the LOS biosynthesis gene locus are \ associated with GBS and with the expression of ganglioside-mimicking \ structures. Campylobacter knockout mutants of 2 potential GBS marker \ genes, both involved in LOS sialylation, expressed truncated LOS \ structures without sialic acid, showed reduced reactivity with GBS patient \ serum, and failed to induce an anti-ganglioside antibody response in mice. \ We demonstrate, for the first time, to our knowledge, that specific \ bacterial genes are crucial for the induction of anti-ganglioside \ antibodies.