Akihiro Nakajima, Fumihiro Yanagimura, Etsuji Saji, Hiroshi Shimizu, Yasuko Toyoshima, Kaori Yanagawa, Musashi Arakawa, Mariko Hokari, Akiko Yokoseki, Takahiro Wakasugi, Kouichirou Okamoto, Hirohide Takebayashi, Chihiro Fujii, Kyoko Itoh, Yo-Ichi Takei, Shinji Ohara, Mitsunori Yamada, Hitoshi Takahashi, Masatoyo Nishizawa, Hironaka Igarashi, Akiyoshi Kakita, Osamu Onodera, Izumi Kawachi
Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an autoimmune disease of the CNS characterized by the production of disease-specific autoantibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channels. Animal model studies suggest that anti-AQP4 antibodies cause a loss of AQP4-expressing astrocytes, primarily via complement-dependent cytotoxicity. Nonetheless, several aspects of the disease remain unclear, including: how anti-AQP4 antibodies cross the blood-brain barrier from the periphery to the CNS; how NMOSD expands into longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis or optic neuritis; how multiphasic courses occur; and how to prevent attacks without depleting circulating anti-AQP4 antibodies, especially when employing B-cell-depleting therapies...
April 24, 2024: Acta Neuropathologica