oligoklonala

Oligoklonala, or oligoclonal in English, describes a population of immune cells or antibodies derived from a limited number of B cell clones. In immunology, clonal expansion can produce monoclonal, oligoclonal, or polyclonal responses, with monoclonal arising from a single clone, and polyclonal from many. Oligoclonality indicates that only a few clones predominate, which can occur in chronic inflammation, autoimmune disease, infection, or certain neoplasms.

A key clinical manifestation of oligoclonality is the presence of oligoclonal bands of immunoglobulin G (IgG) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). These bands, detected by electrophoresis and immunoblot techniques, represent intrathecal IgG synthesis by a restricted number of plasma cells. When oligoclonal IgG bands are present in CSF but absent in serum, it suggests local antibody production within the central nervous system. This pattern is most associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) but can occur in other inflammatory CNS disorders, infections, or autoimmune conditions. Oligoclonal bands are used as a supportive diagnostic marker in MS, particularly when MRI findings are ambiguous, though they are not disease-specific.

Oligoklonality can also refer to antibody populations outside the CNS, where a limited number of B-cell clones produce a mixed but non-polyclonal antibody repertoire. In oncology and immunology, oligoclonality may indicate restricted B-cell activity or the emergence of clonal expansions, which can have diagnostic or prognostic implications.