Inhibition of RGMa Alleviates Symptoms in a Rat Model of Neuromyelitis Optica

Overview

Journal Sci Rep

Specialty Science

Date 2018 Jan 10

PMID 29311561

Citations 9

Authors

Kana Harada

Yuki Fujita

Tatsusada Okuno

Shogo Tanabe

Yoshihisa Koyama

Hideki Mochizuki

Toshihide Yamashita

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an autoimmune disease associated with NMO immunoglobulin G (NMO-IgG), an antibody that selectively binds to the aquaporin-4. Here, we established a localized NMO model by injecting NMO-IgG into the spinal cord, and assessed the efficacy of treating its NMO-like symptoms by blocking repulsive guidance molecule-a (RGMa), an axon growth inhibitor. The model showed pathological features consistent with NMO. Systemic administration of humanized monoclonal anti-RGMa antibody delayed the onset and attenuated the severity of clinical symptoms. Further, it preserved astrocytes and reduced inflammatory-cell infiltration and axonal damage, suggesting that targeting RGMa is effective in treating NMO.

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