Anti-endothelial antibodies and neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus.

The pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) has been attributed to autoantibody-mediated neural dysfunction, vasculopathy, and coagulopathy. Several autoantibodies specificities have been reported in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of NPSLE patients (i.e.

CD34-positive cells in human umbilical cord blood express nerve growth factor and its specific receptor TrkA.

In this study, we investigated whether hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and progenitors present in human cord blood can express nerve growth factor (NGF)-specific receptors, TrkA and p75. Our results showed a marked expression of TrkA and NGF in cord blood CD34(+) cells. A gradient of TrkA and NGF expression exists and is highest in cord blood CD34(+) cells, reduced in cord blood mononuclear cells (MNC) and minimal in mononuclear cells isolated from adult peripheral blood.