Detection of NMDARs Antibodies in Encephalitis

There is a range of diseases of the brain that are associated with rapidly developing inflammation. These conditions are called encephalitis, and can be caused by infections, or autoimmune disorders when the subject's immune system reacts against host proteins. The most common form of autoimmune encephalitis is associated with antibodies against the NR1 subunit of the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor (anti-NMDAR-encephalitis). Antibody detection is important for diagnosis, and can be performed only with techniques that preserve the full tertiary structure (conformation) of the antigen. Here, we describe the methods commonly used to detect NMDAR-antibodies with immunohistochemistry on rat brain slices and on live HEK cells transfected with components of the NMDAR.