Interleukin 6 signaling promotes anti-aquaporin 4 autoantibody production from plasmablasts in neuromyelitis optica.

ABSTRACT: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an inflammatory disease affecting the optic nerve and spinal cord, in which autoantibodies against aquaporin 4 (AQP4) water channel protein probably play a pathogenic role. Here we show that a B-cell subpopulation, exhibiting the CD19(int)CD27(high)CD38(high)CD180(-) phenotype, is selectively increased in the peripheral blood of NMO patients and that anti-AQP4 antibodies (AQP4-Abs) are mainly produced by these cells in the blood of these patients. These B cells showed the morphological as well as the phenotypical characteristics of plasmablasts (PB) and were further expanded during NMO relapse. We also demonstrate that interleukin 6 (IL-6), shown to be increased in NMO, enhanced the survival of PB as well as their AQP4-Ab secretion, whereas the blockade of IL-

SUBMITTER: Chihara N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3048150 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature