Anticancer antibodies can evolve to cause autoimmune brain disease

Nature, Published online: 25 March 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00919-9A model of breast cancer that expresses NMDA receptors — proteins that modify signalling between neurons — was used to trace pre-existing B cells as they matured to produce autoimmune antibodies that have diverse effects on receptor function. Transferring one antibody into mouse brains recapitulated key features of autoimmune brain inflammation.