Investigating the Orexin/Hypocretin Specific T Cell Response in Patients with Narcolepsy with Cataplexy

Abstract

Narcolepsy with cataplexy is caused by a selective loss of orexin/hypocretin producing neurons in the lateral hypothalamus. A strong genetic association with HLA DQB1*06:02 (95% in patients vs. 12-38% in controls) is well-known and further genes involved in immune modulation such as T cell receptor alpha, OX40L, cathepsin H, DNMT1 and P2RY11 were shown to be associated with narcolepsy in genome-wide association studies. Although these associations strongly suggest an involvement of immune cells, the contribution of T cells in pathogenesis is largely unknown.