视神经脊髓炎是一种突发性、严重中枢神经系统炎性脱髓鞘性、主要累及视神经和脊髓的自身免疫性疾病，常规确诊视神经脊髓炎主要依靠患者的临床症状及检测其血清中自身抗体，但传统检测方法的敏感性和特异性均较低。
《中国神经再生研究（英文版）》Neural Regeneration Research杂志2013年3月第8期出版的一项关于“Detection of anti-aquaporin-4 autoantibodies in the sera of Chinese neuromyelitis optica patients”的研究显示，将转染人AQP4-mCherry融合蛋白基因的V79细胞暴露在患者血清中，再利用免疫荧光法使与血清中水通道蛋白4抗体结合的V79细胞显影的方法只在视神经脊髓炎患者血清中检测出抗水通道蛋白4抗体，且在视神经脊髓炎患者中检测的灵敏度为90%，特异性为100%。
且视神经脊髓炎患者血清中抗水通道蛋白4抗体滴度与患者的扩展的功能障碍评级呈正相关。文章作者认为，中国视神经脊髓炎患者血清中抗水通道蛋白4抗体滴度的方法既灵敏又可靠，且水通道蛋白4的自身免疫抗体的检测可以成为视神经脊髓炎诊断和治疗监测的重要手段。（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2013.08.005
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Detection of anti-aquaporin-4 autoantibodies in the sera of Chinese neuromyelitis optica patients
Miao Li1, 2, Weiheng Su3, Jie Wang2, Francesco Pisani4, Antonio Frigeri4, Tonghui Ma1
In this study, we recruited 10 neuromyelitis optica patients, two multiple sclerosis patients and two myelitis patients. Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (V79) cells transfected with a human aquaporin-4-mCherry fusion protein gene were used to detect anti-aquaporin-4 antibody in neuromyelitis optica patient sera by immunofluorescence. Anti-aquaporin-4 autoantibody was stably detected by immunofluorescence in neuromyelitis optica patient sera exclusively. The sensitivity of the assay for neuromyelitis optica was 90% and the specificity for neuromyelitis optica was 100%. The anti-aquaporin-4 antibody titers in sera were tested with serial dilutions until the signal disappeared. A positive correlation was detected between Expanded Disability Status Scale scores and serum anti-aquaporin-4 antibody titers. The anti-aquaporin-4 antibody assay is highly sensitive and specific in the sera of Chinese neuromyelitis optica patients. Detection of aquaporin-4 autoantibody is important for the diagnosis and treatment of neuromyelitis optica.
