Role of interleukin in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system, primarily affecting the optic nerve and spinal cord.In addition to aquaporin 4 antibody, more and more studies have shown that interleukins (IL) also play an important role in the progression of NMOSD.For example, among the most common CD4⁺ T cells, Th17 cells can destroy the blood-brain barrier to invade the central nervous system and then affect autoimmunity; Th2-mediated IL-4 and IL-10 regulate immune activities by activating macrophages; Tregs can suppress the immune response by restricting various immune cell functions.The levels of related IL in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood of NMOSD patients vary at different stages of the disease course.This article mainly reviews the role and a change characteristics of interleukins related to NMOSD, which helps us to understand its pathogenic mechanism in-depth, and discusses whether IL can be used as immunophysiological markers to diagnose NMOSD.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder; Interleukin; Th17; Th2; Tregs