Fig. 9.

Model of GluR3 antibody-mediatedin vitro cytotoxicity. The experiments presented here support a multistep process: (1) anti-GluR3 antibodies bind to GluR3 antigen, which is expressed on neurons and, to a lesser extent, astrocytes; (2) although C′ activation occurs on both cell types, (3) neurons are initially protected from C′-mediated lysis by high expression levels of CRPs such as CD59; (3′) astrocytes, in contrast, lack CRPs and the protection they afford; thus, (4) MACs form on their surfaces, leading ultimately to their lytic demise; (5) at later time points, neurons suffer damage either by virtue of previous damage to astrocytes or finally succumbing to long-term low-level C′ attack.