Autoimmune Encephalitis (AIE)
Autoimmune encephalitis (AIE) is a heterogenous group of immune-mediated neurological disorders characterized by autoantibodies or T-cell responses against neuronal antigens. At Protheragen, we focus on developing novel therapeutics and building accurate animal models to accelerate preclinical studies of potential therapies for AIE. Our expertise ensures that client's research receives the most reliable and relevant support, accelerating their drug development journey.
Overview of Autoimmune Encephalitis (AIE)
Autoimmune encephalitis (AIE) represents a heterogeneous group of immune-mediated neurological disorders characterized by subacute cognitive decline, psychiatric symptoms, seizures, and movement abnormalities. The disease is classified based on target autoantigens, which dictate clinical phenotypes, treatment responses, and prognoses.
| Subtypes | Prevalence | Causes |
| Antibody-Mediated Encephalitides | ~70% of AIE cases | Primarily triggered by autoantibodies against neuronal surface antigens, often post-infectious or paraneoplastic. |
| T-Cell-Mediated Encephalitides | ~30% of AIE cases | Driven by cytotoxic T-cell responses against intracellular onconeural antigens, strongly associated with underlying malignancies. |
Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Encephalitis (AIE)
The pathogenesis of autoimmune encephalitis (AIE) involves distinct immune mechanisms depending on the target antigen. In antibody-mediated AIE, autoantibodies directly disrupt synaptic receptors through internalization or functional blockade, often triggered by tumors or infections via molecular mimicry. While T-cell-mediated AIE features cytotoxic CD8+ T-cell infiltration causing irreversible neuronal damage, predominantly paraneoplastic with poor immunotherapy response due to intracellular antigen localization.
Fig.1 Potential innate contribution to the pathogenesis of autoimmune encephalitis (AIE). (Wesselingh R, et al., 2019)
Therapeutic Development for Autoimmune Encephalitis (AIE)
| Drug Names | Mechanism of Action | Targets | Research Phase |
| Rituximab | Monoclonal antibody causing B-cell depletion via CD20 binding, reducing autoantibody production | CD20 surface protein on B-lymphocytes | Approved |
| Methylprednisolone | Synthetic glucocorticoid suppressing immune responses through genomic (transrepression of cytokines) and non-genomic (T-cell apoptosis) pathways | Glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), NF-κB pathway, inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α) | Approved |
Disclaimer: Protheragen focuses on providing preclinical research services. This table is for information exchange purposes only. This table is not a treatment plan recommendation. For guidance on treatment options, please visit a regular hospital.
Our Services
As a professional preclinical research service provider, Protheragen is dedicated to accelerating breakthroughs in the field of autoimmune encephalitis (AIE). We offer end-to-end solutions encompassing diagnostic development, novel therapeutic development, precise disease modeling, and rigorous preclinical validation. Our blood-brain barrier model enables critical assessments of drug permeability in the central nervous system (CNS), ensuring optimal brain exposure while minimizing systemic toxicity, thus expediting the development of effective therapies.
Therapeutic Development Services
By Molecule Types
Protheragen has the capability to develop drugs of multiple molecular types to address the complexity of autoimmune encephalitis (AIE). We focus on cutting-edge research and development and are committed to providing high-quality drug development services to our customers.
By Mechanism of Action
Focusing on the development of neuroprotective drugs, our scientists carefully study the underlying mechanisms of autoimmune encephalitis (AIE) and develop targeted therapies to meet customer needs.
Disease Model Development Services
In Vitro Model Development
- Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE) Model: Immunize animals with specific myelin proteins or peptides to induce disease.
- NMDAR Component Induced Model: Immunize animals with NMDAR components like GluN1 peptides or intact NMDARs embedded in liposomes.
Specializing in comprehensive preclinical assessment, Protheragen offers professional pharmacodynamic (PD), pharmacokinetic (PK) and toxicology research services to accelerate the therapeutic development of autoimmune encephalitis (AIE). If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact usfor more details and quotation information of related services.
Reference
- Wesselingh R, Butzkueven H, Buzzard K, et al. Innate immunity in the central nervous system: a missing piece of the autoimmune encephalitis puzzle?[J]. Frontiers in immunology, 2019, 10: 2066.