title: [Humoral and cellular immune responses in neuromyelitis optica].
abstract: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an inflammatory and demyelinating syndrome characterized by severe attacks of myelitis and optic neuritis. A crucial role for humoral immunity in the NMO pathogenesis has been suggested by the detection of a highly specific serum autoantibody NMO immunoglobulin G that binds to aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channels, and the pronounced deposition of immunoglobulins colocalizing with products of complement activation in a vasculocentric pattern around thickened hyalinized blood vessels in NMO lesions. Moreover, we have recently demonstrated that levels of several cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β are increased in the cerebrospinal fluid of NMO patients, and the peripheral white matter-demyelinating cord lesions of NMO were accompanied by infiltration of lymphocytes in the leptomeningeal membrane. These cellular elements in patients with NMO might aid B cells and plasma cells in AQP4 antibody production, and break the blood-brain barrier due to the access of AQP4 antibodies to the extracellular domain of AQP4 at the astrocytic foot process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University.
authors.forename: Izumi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kawachi
mesh_terms: D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D051401:Aquaporin 4; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6