Objective To probe into the pathogenic mechanisms of paraneoplastic limbic encephali- tis( PL E) in patients with small cell lung carcinoma( SCLC) .Methods The indirect im- munoperoxidase method and Western blotanalysis were used for detecting anti- Hu antibodies in1 6 PLE patients associated with SCL C.Autopsy and pathological study were performed on two cases.Results Eight patients( 5 0 % ) had anti- Hu antibodies( anti- Hu+) whereas eight patients ( 5 0 % ) no detectable antineuronal antibodies ( anti- Hu- ) .The clinical and laboratory features of PLE and time to diagnosis of SCLC were similar in the anti- Hu+and anti- Hu- groups.Involvement of other areas of the nervous system in seven( 87.5 % ) patients of the anti- Hu+group but in only one ( 1 2 .5 ) % of the anti- Hu- group ( P=0 .0 1 2 ) . Conclusions The presence of this characteristic neurological disorder strongly suggested that with an ac- companying SCLC,existence of anti- Hu autoantibody was in favour of an autoimmune mech- anism participating in PLE.
