Table 1.
CD4+ T-cell proliferation with a cell division index ≥ 3 of T-cell cultures after stimulation with AQP4 or MOG peptides.
| AQP4-Aba | MOG-Abb | MS | HC | p-valuec | p-value correctedd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | 8 | 10 | 8 | 14 | ||
| Female: male | 8: 0 | 5: 5 | 7: 1 | 12: 2 | ||
| Age (y)e | 54 (20–77) | 38 (14–53) | 47 (24–63) | 38 (22–58) | ||
| Duration (y)e | 4 (0–13) | 0 (0–17) | 21 (4–34) | n.a. | ||
| Acute relapse | 4 (50%) | 3 (30%) | 0 (0%) | n.a. | ||
| Relapsese | 4 (1–20) | 1 (1–4) | n.a | n.a. | ||
| EDSSe | 2 (1–7) | 1.5 (1–3) | 2 (0–7.5) | n.a. | ||
| Treatment | 6 (75%)f | 4 (40%)g | 6 (75%)h | n.a. | ||
| Ab titer | 2,560 (40–40,960) | 320 (160–10,240) | 0 (0–40) | 0 (0) | ||
| Tetanus toxoid | 8/8 (100%) | 10 (100%) | 8 (100%) | 14 (100%) | 0.999 | ns |
| AQP4 p11-30 | 2/8 (25%) | 1/7 (14%) | 4/8 (50%) | 1/14 (7%) | 0.121 | ns |
| AQP4 p61-80 | 1/8 (13%) | 0/7 (0%) | 2/8 (25%) | 2/14 (14%) | 0.570 | ns |
| AQP4 p63-76 | 2/8 (25%) | 0/7 (0%) | 2/8 (25%) | 3/14 (21%) | 0.557 | ns |
| AQP4 p91-110 | 2/8 (25%) | 1/7 (14%) | 1/8 (13%) | 3/14 (21%) | 0.905 | ns |
| AQP4 p139-153 | 2/8 (25%) | 1/7 (14%) | 2/8 (25%) | 2/14 (14%) | 0.878 | ns |
| AQP4 p156-170 | 4/8 (50)* | 0/7 (0%) | 0/8 (0%) | 0/14 (0%) | 0.001 | 0.02 |
| AQP4 p211-230 | 0/8 (0%) | 0/7 (0%) | 0/8 (0%) | 0/14 (0%) | 0.999 | ns |
| AQP4 p281-305 | 1/8 (13%) | 1/7 (14%) | 1/8 (13%) | 2/14 (14%) | 0.999 | ns |
| AQP4 overall | 7/8 (88%) | 3/7 (43%) | 4/8 (50%) | 4/14 (29%) | 0.066 | ns |
| MOG p1-20 | 1/5 (20%) | 2/10 (20%) | 1/8 (13%) | 4/14 (29%) | 0.846 | ns |
| MOG p35-55 | 1/5 (20%) | 3/10 (30%) | 3/8 (38%) | 4/14 (29%) | 0.926 | ns |
| MOG p64-80 | 2/5 (40%) | 2/10 (20%) | 2/8 (25%) | 3/14 (21%) | 0.841 | ns |
| MOG p81-96 | 0/5 (0%) | 2/10 (20%) | 0/8 (0%) | 2/14 (14%) | 0.453 | ns |
| MOG p99-107 | 0/5 (0%) | 0/10 (0%) | 1/8 (13%) | 4/14 (29%) | 0.167 | ns |
| MOG p119-130 | 0/5 (0%) | 0/10 (0%) | 1/8 (13%) | 2/14 (14%) | 0.523 | ns |
| MOG p181-195 | 0/5 (0%) | 0/10 (0%) | 2/8 (25%) | 2/14 (14%) | 0.300 | ns |
| MOG p186-200 | 1/5 (20%) | 0/10 (0%) | 1/8 (13%) | 0/14 (0%) | 0.237 | ns |
| MOG p205-214 | 0/5 (0%) | 1/10 (10%) | 3/8 (38%) | 5/14 (36%) | 0.216 | ns |
| MOG overall | 2/5 (40%) | 4/10 (40%) | 5/8 (63%) | 7/14 (50%) | 0.834 | ns |
AQP4-Ab positive patients fulfilling the current diagnostic criteria for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD).
Patients with MOG-Ab (one NMOSD, three bilateral and one unilateral monophasic optic neuritis, one recurrent optic neuritis, one monophasic and one recurrent myelitis, one acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis with recurrent optic neuritis, one recurrent demyelinating disease and one MS).
Significance of group differences was analyzed using the Chi-square test,
significant difference to HC group.
P-values were adjusted for 20 comparisons using Bonferroni's correction for multiple comparisons.
Data are shown as median (range).
Immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive treatment with rituximab (2) or azathioprine (2).
Immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive treatment with rituximab (2) or plasma exchange (2).
Immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive treatment with rituximab (1), interferon-β (1), natalizumab (2), azathioprine (1) and teriflunomide (1). Due to limited sample availability not all AQP4-Ab or MOG-Ab positive patients were investigated for T-cell reactivity against AQP4 or MOG peptides. Ab, antibody; AQP4, aquaporin-4; CDI, cell division index; CFSE, carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester; HC, healthy controls; MOG, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein; MS, multiple sclerosis; n.a., not applicable/available; ns, statistically not significant after correction for multiple comparisons.