Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a recurrent inflammatory disease that preferentially targets the optic nerves and spinal cord leading to blindness and paralysis. The hallmarks of NMO include bilateral optic neuritis and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis. Woman and African Americans are overrepresented in the US patient population. NMO is associated with the NMO-IgG biomarker, which tar...

The syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) is a potential cause of hyponatremia of the central nervous system (CNS). Although SIADH has been reported to be associated with many other central nervous disorders, its association with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) or NMO spectrum disorders are rare. NMO is a demyelinating disorder characterized by optic neuritis and transvers...

Background. Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) attacks are poorly controlled by steroids and evolve in stepwise neurological impairments. Assuming the strong humoral response underlying NMO attacks, plasma exchange (PLEX) is an appropriate technique in severe NMO attacks. Objective. Presenting an up-to-date review of the literature of PLEX in NMO. Methods. We summarize the rationale of PLEX in relation...

OBJECTIVE To (1) determine the value of the recently proposed criteria of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) spectrum disorder (NMOSD) that unify patients with NMO and those with limited forms (NMO/LF) with aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G (AQP4-IgG) antibodies; and (2) investigate the clinical significance of the serologic status in patients with NMO. METHODS This was a retrospective, multicenter study ...

BACKGROUND The neuromyelitis optica IgG autoantibody (NMO-IgG) is a validated biomarker for NMO and an emerging spectrum of inflammatory central nervous system-demyelinating disorders. Its antigen is the astrocytic water channel aquaporin-4; NMO-IgG has not been described in a cancer context. OBJECTIVES To report (1) neurologic and oncologic correlates for patients incidentally identified as ...

Astrocyte loss induced by neuromyelitis optica (NMO)-IgG and complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) is the hallmark of NMO pathology. The survival of astrocytes is thought to reflect astrocyte exposure to environmental factors in the CNS and the response of astrocytes to these factors. However, still unclear are how astrocytes respond to NMO-IgG and CDC, and what CNS environmental factors may ...

Current management of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is noncurative and only partially effective. Immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory agents are the mainstays of maintenance treatment. Safer, better-tolerated, and proven effective treatments are needed. The perceived rarity of NMO has impeded clinical trials for this disease. However, a diagnostic biomarker and recognition of a wider spectrum of ...

Bone morphogenic protein (BMP) signaling is essential for the coordinated assembly of the synapse, but we know little about how BMP signaling is modulated in neurons. Our findings indicate that the Nemo (Nmo) kinase modulates BMP signaling in motor neurons. nmo mutants show synaptic structural defects at the Drosophila melanogaster larval neuromuscular junction, and providing Nmo in motor neuro...

T cells from neuromyelitis optica (NMO) patients, which recognize the immunodominant epitope of aquaporin-4, exhibit Th17 polarization and cross-react with a homologous sequence of a Clostridium perfringens adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette transporter. Therefore, this commensal microbe might participate in NMO pathogenesis. We examined the gut microbiome by PhyloChip G3 from 16 NMO patie...

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and systemic inflammatory diseases are not mutually exclusive. Even when other autoantibodies are present, myelitis extending over 3 vertebral segments with NMO-IgG positivity discloses the diagnosis of NMO. We report the case of an isolated myelitis extending over 6 vertebral segments due to neuromyelitis optica (NMO). Despite the absence of optic nerve involvement, ...