The poor recovery of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder is associated with a lower level of CXCL12 in the human brain

J Neuroimmunol. 2015 Dec 15:289:56-61. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2015.10.005. Epub 2015 Oct 14.

Abstract

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs) are blindness-causing neuritis. In NMOSD patients, NMO-IgG evokes astrocytopathy that in turn causes demyelination. While measurement of NMO-IgG titer will help neurologists make the diagnosis of NMOSDs, it is not sufficient to evaluate the severity of astrocytopathy. In this study, we compared the different levels of an astrocyte biomarker in cerebrospinal fluid of NMOSD patients with good or poor recovery, and then linked their differences to the changes in remyelinating promoter (CXCL12) levels. Our results indicate that NMO-IgG down-regulated CXCL12 and impaired the remyelinating process, this may be a mechanism contributing to the poor recovery of NMOSDs.

Keywords: Aquaporin 4 (AQP4); CXC-motif ligand 12 (CXCL12); Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP); Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs); Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα).

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Aquaporin 4 / immunology
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Chemokine CXCL12 / metabolism*
  • Electroencephalography
  • Electroretinography
  • Evoked Potentials, Visual / physiology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation / physiology*
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuromyelitis Optica / drug therapy
  • Neuromyelitis Optica / pathology*
  • Neuromyelitis Optica / physiopathology
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Recovery of Function
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism
  • Visual Acuity / physiology

Substances

  • AQP4 protein, human
  • Aquaporin 4
  • CXCL12 protein, human
  • Chemokine CXCL12
  • Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha