Severity of Guillain-Barré syndrome is associated with Fcγ Receptor III polymorphisms

Macrophages and ganglioside-specific IgG are involved in the pathogenesis of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Leukocyte IgG receptors (FcγR) confer potent cellular effector functions to the specificity of IgG. The efficacy of IgG-mediated cellular inflammatory responses is determined by functional polymorphisms of three FcγR subclasses (FcγRIIa: H131/R131; FcγRIIIa: V158/F158; FcγRIIIb: NA1/NA2). FcγR genotype distributions were determined in a Dutch, and British cohort of GBS patients and controls. In addition, a meta-analysis incorporating all previously published data, encompassing a total of 345 GBS patients and 714 healthy controls, was performed. Results suggest that FcγRIII genotypes may represent mild disease-modifying factors in GBS.