Journal Article

DZNE-2020-04398

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis in the Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) Knut.

Prüss, H. (First author)DZNE* ; Leubner, J.DZNE* ; Wenke, N.DZNE* ; Czirják, G. Á. ; Szentiks, C. A. ; Greenwood, A. D.

2015
Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature [London]

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1038/srep12805

Abstract: Knut the polar bear of the Berlin Zoological Garden drowned in 2011 following seizures and was diagnosed as having suffered encephalitis of unknown etiology after exhaustive pathogen screening. Using the diagnostic criteria applied to human patients, we demonstrate that Knut's encephalitis is almost identical to anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis which is a severe autoimmune disease representing the most common non-infectious encephalitis in humans. High concentrations of antibodies specific against the NR1 subunit of the NMDA receptor were detected in Knut's cerebrospinal fluid. Histological examination demonstrated very similar patterns of plasma cell infiltration and minimal neuronal loss in affected brain areas. We conclude that Knut suffered anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis making his the first reported non-human case of this treatable disease. The results suggest that anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis may be a disease of broad relevance to mammals that until now has remained undiagnosed.

Keyword(s): Animals (MeSH) ; Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis: cerebrospinal fluid (MeSH) ; Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis: pathology (MeSH) ; Autoantibodies: cerebrospinal fluid (MeSH) ; Autopsy (MeSH) ; Base Sequence (MeSH) ; Brain: pathology (MeSH) ; Cell Line (MeSH) ; Humans (MeSH) ; Immunoglobulins: cerebrospinal fluid (MeSH) ; Molecular Sequence Data (MeSH) ; Neurons: metabolism (MeSH) ; Neurons: pathology (MeSH) ; Protein Binding (MeSH) ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate: metabolism (MeSH) ; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid (MeSH) ; Transfection (MeSH) ; Ursidae: physiology (MeSH) ; Autoantibodies ; Immunoglobulins ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Autoimmune Encephalopathies (AG Prüß)

Research Program(s):

1. 342 - Disease Mechanisms and Model Systems (POF3-342) (POF3-342)

Appears in the scientific report 2015

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Database coverage:
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