title: Anti-alpha-fodrin autoantibodies in Moyamoya disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare entity that results in progressive occlusion of the arteries of the circle of Willis, but the pathogenesis of MMD is unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  MMD sera (n=32) were tested for anti-endothelial cell antibodies by enzyme-linked immunoassays and flow cytometric analysis. Apoptosis was induced in human umbilical vein endothelial cells by tumor necrosis factor-alpha.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that a high proportion of MMD sera had anti-endothelial cell antibodies with apoptotic stimuli. Prominent reactivities of MMD sera (72%) with recombinant human alpha-fodrin were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrates that MMD sera contain a high incidence of anti-alpha-fodrin autoantibodies, providing new insight into the mechanisms of occlusion of MMD arteries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Tokushima School of Medicine, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kouichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagahiro
authors.forename: Rieko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arakaki
authors.forename: Naozumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ishimaru
authors.forename: Masaru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hayashi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009072:Moyamoya Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D013049:Spectrin
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D013049:Spectrin