Autoantibodies against the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) are known to cause encephalitis; however, a new study has identified anti-NMDAR antibodies in the absence of encephalitis in various mammalian species. These chronically produced natural antibodies might function in physiological target protein modulation and contribute to the symptoms of non-immune diseases.
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The author's work is supported in part by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI grant no. JP 17K11477.
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Tanaka, K. Are naturally occurring anti-NMDAR autoantibodies pathogenic?. Nat Rev Neurol 14, 255–256 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2018.41
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2018.41
