Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a rare, disabling, sometimes fatal central nervous system
inflammatory demyelinating disease that is associated with antibodies (“NMO IgG”) that
target the water channel protein aquaporin-4 (AQP4) expressed on astrocytes. There is
considerable interest in identifying environmental triggers that may elicit production of NMO
IgG by AQP4-reactive B cells. Although NMO is considered principally a humoral
autoimmune disease, antibodies of NMO IgG are IgG1, a T-cell-dependent immunoglobulin …