Objective To explore mimic antigen based ELISA for detecting serum anti-acquaporin4(AQP4) antibody in neuromyelitis optica(NMO) patients. Methods Three polypeptides: AQP456-69,AQP4135-155, AQP4209-230 were designed to simulate antigen epitopes of AQP4 through biological information and structure biology analysis, the peptides was used as antigen in ELISA to detect serum anti-AQP4 antibody in 9 NMO patients and 7 other miscellaneous neurological disorders which hayed been detected by immumofluorescence method. Results The mean value of A of anti-AQP4 antibody postive patients which have been determined by immumofluorescence method were higher than the controls in ELISA with AQP4135-155,AQP4209-230 as antigen (P<0.05). When the patients serum were diluted at 4 and 8 times, the A values were higher than controls significantly ( P<0.05 ). Conclusion Outmembrane polypeptides AQP4135-155,AQP4209-230 may be the main antigen epitope or main part of antigen epitope, they could be used to detect serum anti-AQP4 antibody in NMO patients.

ObjectiveTo characterize the neural progenitor cell in the human amnion mesenchyme and epithelial layer with specific mark proteins of neural stem cell.MethodsExpressions of specific mark proteins of neural stem cell including nestin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), musashi-1, vimentin and PSA-NCAM in human amnion tissue and cultured amniotic cells were determined by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining.ResultsExpressions of pluripotent neural stem cell specific makers (nestin, musashi-1, vimentin and PSA-NCAM) were detected in the human amnion mesenchyme and epithelial layer. In addition, cultured amniotic cells were expressed several neural stem cell specific markers including nestin, GFAP and PSA-NCAM. Nestin+ and GFAP+ double positive cells were identified in the human amnion tissue and cultured amniotic cells by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining.ConclusionSpecific mark proteins of neural stem cell are expressed in human amnion tissue and cultured amniotic cells.