Partial characterization of the Purkinje cell antigens in paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration.

Serum from seven patients with paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration contained anti-Purkinje cell antibodies. The samples were examined by immunoblotting to determine whether they recognized common antigens in isolated human Purkinje cell neurons. Two groups of antigens were detected by all seven sera with Mr 62/64 kd and 34 to 38 kd, both of which contributed to the Purkinje cell antigens detected immunohistochemically. These reactivities were absent from all controls tested. These antibodies may play a role in the pathogenesis of paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration.