Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
3064959 | Journal of Neuroimmunology | 2009 | 6 Pages |
Abstract
The current study presents a western blot assay showing good sensitivity (81%) and specificity (97%) for detecting serum antibodies to Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) in patients with Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO). By using western blot, we were able, for the first time, to distinguish serum immunoreactivity against either of the two AQP4 isoforms, showing that antibodies recognizing the linear AQP4-M1 isoform are specific for NMO. Moreover, the high sensitivity and specificity of the western blot assay in detecting serum anti-AQP4 antibodies in NMO patients suggest that such auto-antibodies may be of linear nature, thus recognizing epitopes that are displayed in denatured protein.
Keywords
Related Topics
Life Sciences
Immunology and Microbiology
Immunology
Authors
Fabiana Marnetto, Bianca Hellias, Letizia Granieri, Jessica Frau, Agata Katia Patanella, Petra Nytrova, Arianna Sala, Marco Capobianco, Francesca Gilli, Antonio Bertolotto,