Ann Neurol. 2016 Jul 11. doi: 10.1002/ana.24718.
Cree BA1, Spencer CM1,2, Varrin-Doyer M1,2, Baranzini SE1, Zamvil SS1,2.
Abstract
T cells from neuromyelitis optica (NMO) patients, which recognize the immunodominant epitope of aquaporin-4 (AQP4), exhibit Th17 polarization and cross-react with a homologous sequence of a Clostridium perfringens ABC transporter. Therefore, this commensal microbe might participate in NMO pathogenesis. We examined the gut microbiome by PhyloChipTM G3 from 16 NMO patients, 16 healthy controls (HC) and 16 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. A significant difference in the abundance of several microbial communities was observed between NMO and HC (Adonis test, p=0.001). Strikingly, C. perfringens was over-represented in NMO (p=5.24×10-8 ). These observations support a potential role for C. perfringens in NMO pathogenesis.
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