臨床神経学

第51回日本神経学会総会

<シンポジウム05―5>中枢神経の免疫疾患とグリア
Humoral and cellular immune responses in neuromyelitis optica

河内 泉

新潟大学脳研究所臨床神経学部門神経内科学分野〔〒951―8585 新潟市中央区旭町通一番町757〕

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.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (165K)

(臨床神経, 50:873−874, 2010)
key words:視神経脊髄炎,アクアポリン4水チャネル,液性免疫機構,細胞性免疫機構

(受付日:2010年5月21日)