Coexisting systemic and organ-specific autoimmunity in MOG-IgG1-associated disorders versus AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD.

Kunchok, Amy; Flanagan, Eoin P; Snyder, Melissa; Saadeh, Ruba; Chen, John J; Weinshenker, Brian G; McKeon, Andrew; Pittock, Sean J

Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) has been demonstrated to be associated with non-organ and organ-specific autoantibodies (antinuclear antibody, extractable nuclear antibody, double-stranded DNA, muscle acetylcholine receptor antibody) and systemic autoimmune diseases. In this study, we evaluated whether a similar association with non-organ and organ-specifc autoantibodies occurs in patients with MOG-IgG1-associated disorders. We determined that MOG-IgG1 was not strongly associated with these organ and non-organ-specific autoantibodies. Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) was significantly associated with AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD and not with MOGAD (p = 0.037). These findings suggest differences in co-existing systemic and organ-specific autoimmunity between MOGAD and AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD.