MAG Antibody Testing: John Mills, Ph.D.

Episode 90 of the Answers from the Lab podcast, hosted by Mayo Clinic Laboratories, titled "MAG Antibody Testing: John Mills, Ph.D." was published on July 27, 2021 and runs 15 minutes.

July 27, 2021 ·15m · Answers from the Lab

0:00 / 0:00

Summary

- John Mills, Ph.D., explains Mayo Clinic Laboratories' approach to testing for the presence of antibodies against myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), a biomarker of a rare neuropathy known as distal acquired myelinating symmetric neuropathy (DADS neuropathy). The calibrated ELISA-based assay, which uses higher reference ranges and human MAG antigen rather than antigen sourced from other animal species, offers improved specificity in detecting antibody presence and increased diagnostic confidence.

Episode Description

(00:33)
Could you please tell the audience a little bit about yourself and your background before we get to?

(01:07)
So just as an overview, this new MAG test, can you kind of give us a general idea of the assay, the methodology, and how this could be used clinically?

(01:59)
Can you maybe expound upon the role of the M protein, how it relates to the MAG antibody and also that unique testing methodology that we use?

(03:15)
Can you describe how those will present to our listeners and then when it would be appropriate to order this specific test?

(03:56)
And is the antibody test important or is it pretty clear this DADs phenotype is separate from maybe other types of neuropathies?

(05:25)

I think the other thing that's exciting is just about how the antibody test can help increase confidence for physicians, right?

(05:50)

Can you talk to me about how our test is maybe different than how other existing MAG antibody tests that already exist on the market?

(07:20)

I've also heard you talk about the reference ranges, where, depending on where the cutoffs are, it can increase, I think specificity, is that right, Dr. Mills?

(08:30)

I've also heard to test for SGPG that oftentimes accompanies MAG, but I noticed that we won't be using that complimentary tests. Can you help our listeners understand why?

(09:42)

Can you just elaborate again on how this test can impact patient care and maybe shorten that journey?

(10:56)

So a test result that's positive for MAG, the physician can have a lot of confidence that that's really the underlying etiology?

(11:33)

Are we seeing it more often that patients are going to test positive for the MAG antibody, and that should lead them to getting this M protein tested for using our MASS fixation technology?

(13:14)

Now, if a patient is found to be positive for the M protein as well, uh, how does that change the treatment or prognosis for those DADs phenotype patients?

(14:09)

Dr. Mills, if you could summarize for our physicians this to key takeaway for physicians or patient impact related to this test, what would it be?