NMO-IgG antibodies in neuromyelitis optica:: a report of 2 cases

Introduction. Neuromyelitis optica is an inflammatory demyelination disease that selectively affects optic nerves and spinal cord. Recently it has been described that the NMO-IgG antibodies, are highly specific for the diagnosis, although they are also present in partial forms of the disease. The antigen responsible for this immune response seems to be aquaporin-4 water channel. Clinical case. We describe the detection in our laboratory of NMO-IgG antibodies in two patients, one of them with a neuromyelitis optica and the other one with a recurrent myelitis and subclinical involvement of the optic nerve. Conclusions. By using dual immunostaining, confocal microscopy showed that the antibodies of both patients colocalized with that of an anti-aquaporin-4 IgG.