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A Simple Cell-based Immunofluorescence Assay to Detect Autoantibody Against the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate NMDA Receptor in Blood
Published on: January 9, 2018
Autoantibodies against NMDAR subunit NR1 disappear from blood upon anesthesia
Johannes Teller1, Carolin Jung2, Justus B H Wilke3
1Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
Abstract:
Anesthetics penetrate the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) and - as confirmed preclinically - transiently disrupt it. An analogous consequence in humans has remained unproven. In mice, we previously reported that upon BBB dysfunction, the brain acts as 'immunoprecipitator' of autoantibodies against N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptor subunit-NR1 (NMDAR1-AB). We thus hypothesized that during human anesthesia, pre-existing NMDAR1-AB will specifically bind to brain. Screening of N = 270 subjects undergoing general anesthesia during cardiac surgery for serum NMDAR1-AB revealed N = 25 NMDAR1-AB seropositives. Only N = 14 remained positive post-surgery. No changes in albumin, thyroglobulin or CRP were associated with reduction of serum NMDAR1-AB. Thus, upon anesthesia, BBB opening likely occurs also in humans.
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