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Transverse Myelitis Fact Sheet | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
What causes transverse myelitis?
The exact cause of transverse myelitis and extensive damage to nerve fibers of the spinal cord is unknown in many cases. Cases in which a cause cannot be identified are called idiopathic. However, looking for a cause is important, as some will change treatment decisions.
The discovery of circulating antibodies to the proteins aquaporin-4 and anti-myelin oligodendrocyte point to a definite cause in some individuals with transverse myelitis. Antibodies are proteins produced by cells of the immune system that bind to bacteria, viruses, and foreign chemicals to prevent them from harming the body. In autoimmune disorders, antibodies incorrectly bind to normal body proteins. Aquaporin-4 is a key protein that carries water through the cell membrane of neural cells. The myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein sits on the outer layer of myelin.
A number of conditions appear to cause transverse myelitis, including:
Immune system disorders. These disorders appear to play an important role in causing damage to the spinal cord. Such disorders are:
aquaporin-4 autoantibody associated neuromyelitis optica
multiple sclerosis
post-infectious or post-vaccine autoimmune phenomenon, in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissue while responding to the infection or, less commonly, a vaccine
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It would appear that the negative result at AstraZeneca might have been an immune system reaction where the virus antibodies attacked the myelin sheath of this person's in an autoimmune reaction. If it happened once it could happen again. Potentially big problem that might set this program back by months.
What causes transverse myelitis?
The exact cause of transverse myelitis and extensive damage to nerve fibers of the spinal cord is unknown in many cases. Cases in which a cause cannot be identified are called idiopathic. However, looking for a cause is important, as some will change treatment decisions.
The discovery of circulating antibodies to the proteins aquaporin-4 and anti-myelin oligodendrocyte point to a definite cause in some individuals with transverse myelitis. Antibodies are proteins produced by cells of the immune system that bind to bacteria, viruses, and foreign chemicals to prevent them from harming the body. In autoimmune disorders, antibodies incorrectly bind to normal body proteins. Aquaporin-4 is a key protein that carries water through the cell membrane of neural cells. The myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein sits on the outer layer of myelin.
A number of conditions appear to cause transverse myelitis, including:
Immune system disorders. These disorders appear to play an important role in causing damage to the spinal cord. Such disorders are:
aquaporin-4 autoantibody associated neuromyelitis optica
multiple sclerosis
post-infectious or post-vaccine autoimmune phenomenon, in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissue while responding to the infection or, less commonly, a vaccine
======================================================================
It would appear that the negative result at AstraZeneca might have been an immune system reaction where the virus antibodies attacked the myelin sheath of this person's in an autoimmune reaction. If it happened once it could happen again. Potentially big problem that might set this program back by months.
