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Anti-DNA meets NMDA in neuropsychiatric lupus

Nature Medicine volume 7, pages 1175–1176 (2001)Cite this article

Systemic lupus erythematosus can cause various forms of central nervous system disorders, ranging from subtle cognitive dysfunction to life-threatening coma. How lupus autoantibodies target neurons and cause brain injury remains a mystery. New research suggests that a subset of autoantibodies to double-stranded DNA in lupus patients cross-reacts with the NMDA glutamate receptor, and produces neuronal injury and death. (pages 1189–1193)

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Figure 1: Production of anti-dsDNA antibodies and possible mechanisms of organ damage in SLE.

Renee Lucas

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine and Immunology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver, Colorado, USA

    Brian L. Kotzin

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver, Colorado, USA

    Elizabeth Kozora

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  1. Brian L. Kotzin
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  2. Elizabeth Kozora
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Kotzin, B., Kozora, E. Anti-DNA meets NMDA in neuropsychiatric lupus. Nat Med 7, 1175–1176 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1101-1175

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