title: Prevention of orthogonal array of particles formation as a treatment approach for neuromyelitis optica.
abstract: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an uncommon, life-threatening demyelinating disease that produces transverse myelitis and optic neuritis. An important pathogenetic mechanism belongs to NMO-IgG autoantibodies directed against the ultrastructure of the water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4), the so-called orthogonal arrays of particles (OAPs). With respect to the yet known data about OAP formation it is suggested to modulate the AQP4-M23 isoform to prevent the aggregation of AQP4 tetramers into higher organized structures. Without specific target for the NMO-IgGs the inflammation and thus the resulting demyelination may be stopped without the need for immunosuppressive agents with severe side-effects.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Heidelberg, Institute for Pathology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 220/221, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany. Arne.warth@med.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Warth
mesh_terms: D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology*; D003460:Crystallization; D019281:Dimerization; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010316:Particle Size
chemical_list: C496030:AQP4 protein, human; D051401:Aquaporin 4; D007074:Immunoglobulin G