The following paper is a preprint, which means it has not been peer reviewed yet.
medrxiv.org/content/10.1101... Pluvinage et al, "Transcobalamin Receptor Autoantibodies in Central Vitamin B12 Deficiency" medRxiv 2023.08.21.23294253; doi: doi.org/10.1101/2023.08.21....
Abstract:
Vitamin B12 is critical for hematopoiesis and myelination.1 Deficiency can cause neurologic deficits including loss of coordination, spasticity, and cognitive decline.2,3,4 However, diagnosis relies on vitamin B12 measurement in the blood which may not accurately reflect levels in the brain. Here, we discovered an autoimmune cause of vitamin B12 deficiency restricted to the central nervous system (CNS), termed autoimmune B12 central deficiency (ABCD). Using programmable phage display, we identified an autoantibody targeting the transcobalamin receptor (CD320) in a patient with progressive tremor, ataxia, and scanning speech. Patient immunoglobulins impaired cellular uptake of vitamin B12 in vitro. Despite normal serum levels, vitamin B12 was nearly undetectable in her cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Immunosuppressive treatment and high-dose systemic vitamin B12 supplementation were associated with increased CSF B12 levels and clinical improvement. Autoantibodies targeting the same epitope of CD320 were identified in 7 other patients with neurologic deficits of unknown etiology and in 6 percent of healthy controls. In 132 paired serum and CSF samples, detection of anti-CD320 in the blood predicted B12 deficiency in the brain. These findings elucidate a new autoimmune cause of metabolic neurologic disease that may be amenable to immunomodulatory treatment and/or nutritional supplementation.
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[Disclaimer: I have not done a 100% thorough review of it yet. Just enough to rant about it ]
The research topic is fascinating: in a patient enrolled in a completely different study, they found antibodies against the transcobalamin receptor, which resulted in functional B12 deficiency. B12D was diagnosed by testing the patient’s levels of B12 in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) - levels were very low.
What this means: Transcobalamin II (TC-II) is the protein that transports B12 from the bloodstream into the cells. CD320 is the receptor for TC-II, and is found on the surface of cells. The B12 + TC-II molecule coming from the bloodstream binds to the CD320 receptor, and allows B12 to enter the cell. Functional deficiency typically refers to the fact that serum B12 levels are normal, but B12 "cannot enter the cells", causing all the symptoms of B12 deficiency. Here they seem to use the B12 level in the CSF as a proxy for what we here call "entering the cells". Note that they gave the same name to the receptor and to the gene that encodes for it - CD320.
So then they conducted a retrospective analysis and found 7 more people with "functionally impaired holotranscobalamin uptake". They measured HoloTC (active B12) in the CSF of these patients, all were low; serum B12 was normal in all. The first case study and several of the other people were treated with "high dose oral supplementation" - I could not find the dose/frequency/duration. Case 8 from the retrospective study had SACD and he too was giving oral supps, and only "partially" recovered. Scandalous - not clear why they were not given injections!
They did 1 more retroactive analysis after that, but I need more time to understand the details.
I hope peer-review will strengthen the manuscript and fix some of the missing details. The organization of the manuscript could also be improved, it was a bit confusing to read. And maybe one of the Dutch B12 experts could clue these people to the fact that those with SACD really should be given a trial of injections.
Note the affiliations - several Neurology departments at various prestigious US hospitals.
There really should be a way to do public reviews on medrixiv :/
I'm glad the research is being done, and I predict the test will trickle down to the general population... never.
Carmel wrote about IgG-Transcobalamin II antibody complexes creating a form of what is now called MacroB12 in 1977. And in 1971, Skouby et al described antibodies to TC II generated in those receiving B12 injections, causing higher measured levels of serum B12 compared to those without the antibodies (symptoms and clinical significance not discussed). Of note they were testing 3 monthly injections even then.
One still cannot get either one tested commercially. Even the NICE committee declined to include MacroB12 in their guidelines because, and I paraphrase here, it is not our responsibility, the labs have to take care of avoiding macroB12 and false high B12 measurements.
In my opinion, these types of antibody tests would go a long way in explaining why some of us are severely functionally deficient for no apparent reason, and why some people with PA need much more frequent injections.
Carmel et al, "Circulating Antibody to Transcobalamin II Causing Retention of Vitamin B12 in the Blood", Blood, 1977, sciencedirect.com/science/a...
Skouby et al, "Antibody to Transcobalamin II and B12 Binding Capacity in Patients Treated With Hydroxocobalamin", Blood, 1971, sciencedirect.com/science/a...
Thoughts?
p.s. Sorry for my continued obsession with TC antibodies and MacroB12, but I really do think it might be the key to two of the topics we frequently discuss here: need for very frequent injections, and functional deficiency. Or, if there was a less invasive way to measure CSF levels of B12!