Abstract
Background: Antibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4), a water channel particularly expressed on perivascular astrocytic podocytes, are proposed as a marker for the diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica (NMO). However, a consensus on seroprevalence and optimal detection method has not yet been reached. Objectives: To investigate the performance of different assays to detect anti-AQP4 antibodies. Methods: We set up five different assays. Two of them were capable to detect perivascular lgG reactivity on brain tissue by immunofluorescence (NMO-lgG). Other three assays have been set to detect anti-AQP4 antibodies: immunofluorescence and flow cytometry on AQP4-expressing cells, and a radioimmunoprecipitation assay. We assessed sensitivity and specificity of these assays by interrogating sera of 33 NMO patients, 13 patients at high risk to develop NMO (hrNMO), 6 patients affected by acute partial transverse myelitis (APTM), 20 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and 67 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Results: We found that the presence of serum NMO-lgG and anti-AQP4 reactivity is almost exclusively restricted to patients with NMO and hrNMO. Seroprevalence and sensitivity ranged from 30 to 47%, depending on the assay. Specificity ranged from 95 to 100%. Comparing results obtained in the five assays, we noticed lack of concordance in some samples. Conclusions: Detection of NMO-lgG or anti-AQP4 antibodies may represent a valuable tool to assist neurologists in the differential diagnosis between patients with NMO, hrNMO, APTM, or MS. The current lack of a gold standard to detect anti-AQP4 antibodies implies the necessity to standardize the detection of these antibodies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1153-1163 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Multiple Sclerosis Journal |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |
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Keywords
- Neuromyelitis optica
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Neurology
- Neurology
Cite this
Antiacquaporin 4 antibodies detection by different techniques in neuromyelitis optica patients. / Fazio, R.; Malosio, M. L.; Lampasona, V.; De Feo, D.; Privitera, D.; Marnetto, F.; Centonze, D.; Ghezzi, A.; Comi, G.; Furlan, R.; Martino, G.
In: Multiple Sclerosis Journal, Vol. 15, No. 10, 2009, p. 1153-1163.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Antiacquaporin 4 antibodies detection by different techniques in neuromyelitis optica patients
AU - Fazio, R.
AU - Malosio, M. L.
AU - Lampasona, V.
AU - De Feo, D.
AU - Privitera, D.
AU - Marnetto, F.
AU - Centonze, D.
AU - Ghezzi, A.
AU - Comi, G.
AU - Furlan, R.
AU - Martino, G.
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - Background: Antibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4), a water channel particularly expressed on perivascular astrocytic podocytes, are proposed as a marker for the diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica (NMO). However, a consensus on seroprevalence and optimal detection method has not yet been reached. Objectives: To investigate the performance of different assays to detect anti-AQP4 antibodies. Methods: We set up five different assays. Two of them were capable to detect perivascular lgG reactivity on brain tissue by immunofluorescence (NMO-lgG). Other three assays have been set to detect anti-AQP4 antibodies: immunofluorescence and flow cytometry on AQP4-expressing cells, and a radioimmunoprecipitation assay. We assessed sensitivity and specificity of these assays by interrogating sera of 33 NMO patients, 13 patients at high risk to develop NMO (hrNMO), 6 patients affected by acute partial transverse myelitis (APTM), 20 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and 67 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Results: We found that the presence of serum NMO-lgG and anti-AQP4 reactivity is almost exclusively restricted to patients with NMO and hrNMO. Seroprevalence and sensitivity ranged from 30 to 47%, depending on the assay. Specificity ranged from 95 to 100%. Comparing results obtained in the five assays, we noticed lack of concordance in some samples. Conclusions: Detection of NMO-lgG or anti-AQP4 antibodies may represent a valuable tool to assist neurologists in the differential diagnosis between patients with NMO, hrNMO, APTM, or MS. The current lack of a gold standard to detect anti-AQP4 antibodies implies the necessity to standardize the detection of these antibodies.
AB - Background: Antibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4), a water channel particularly expressed on perivascular astrocytic podocytes, are proposed as a marker for the diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica (NMO). However, a consensus on seroprevalence and optimal detection method has not yet been reached. Objectives: To investigate the performance of different assays to detect anti-AQP4 antibodies. Methods: We set up five different assays. Two of them were capable to detect perivascular lgG reactivity on brain tissue by immunofluorescence (NMO-lgG). Other three assays have been set to detect anti-AQP4 antibodies: immunofluorescence and flow cytometry on AQP4-expressing cells, and a radioimmunoprecipitation assay. We assessed sensitivity and specificity of these assays by interrogating sera of 33 NMO patients, 13 patients at high risk to develop NMO (hrNMO), 6 patients affected by acute partial transverse myelitis (APTM), 20 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and 67 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Results: We found that the presence of serum NMO-lgG and anti-AQP4 reactivity is almost exclusively restricted to patients with NMO and hrNMO. Seroprevalence and sensitivity ranged from 30 to 47%, depending on the assay. Specificity ranged from 95 to 100%. Comparing results obtained in the five assays, we noticed lack of concordance in some samples. Conclusions: Detection of NMO-lgG or anti-AQP4 antibodies may represent a valuable tool to assist neurologists in the differential diagnosis between patients with NMO, hrNMO, APTM, or MS. The current lack of a gold standard to detect anti-AQP4 antibodies implies the necessity to standardize the detection of these antibodies.
KW - Neuromyelitis optica
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=72449188825&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=72449188825&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1352458509106851
DO - 10.1177/1352458509106851
M3 - Article
C2 - 19667009
AN - SCOPUS:72449188825
VL - 15
SP - 1153
EP - 1163
JO - Multiple Sclerosis
JF - Multiple Sclerosis
SN - 1352-4585
IS - 10
ER -