Abstract:

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a severe demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Approximately 90% of the patients with NMO and more than half of the patients with NMO spectrum disorders (NMODS) are positive for autoantibodies against aquaporin-4 (AQP4). The patients with AQP4 antibody-negative are  characterized by more prone to male, a predominant Caucasian ethnicity, and an overrepresentation of simultaneous bilateral optic neuritis and transverse myelitis at first episode. Moreover, they experienced a better visual acuity at last follow-up compared with seropositive NMO. AQP4 were mainly tested by cell-based assay, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, immunohistochemistry, radio-immunoprecipitation assay.  (Int Rev Ophthalmol,  2015,  39:     428-432)