Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Rasmussen encephalitis (RE) sera were screened for antibodies to human alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) using electrophysiology, calcium imaging, and ligand binding assays. Sera from two of nine patients with RE blocked ACh-induced currents through alpha7 nAChRs and the ACh-induced rise in intracellular free calcium ([Ca2+]i) and inhibited (125)I-alpha-bungarotoxin binding in cells expressing alpha7 nAChRs. Thus, the alpha7 nAChR is a potential target for pathogenic antibodies in patients with RE.

Original publication

DOI

10.1212/01.wnl.0000191566.86977.04

Type

Journal article

Journal

Neurology

Publication Date

13/12/2005

Volume

65

Pages

1802 - 1804

Keywords

Adolescent, Animals, Autoantibodies, Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System, Binding, Competitive, Brain, Bungarotoxins, Calcium Signaling, Child, Child, Preschool, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Encephalitis, Female, Fluorescent Dyes, Fura-2, Humans, Immunologic Factors, Infant, Intracellular Fluid, Male, Oocytes, Radioligand Assay, Receptors, Nicotinic, Xenopus laevis, alpha7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor