Interestingly, prevention of CCL2 expression by CCL2 siRNA interference also significantly decreases the release of five other cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, CXCL1, IL-17A, and IL-18), suggesting that CCL2 production or release occurs ahead of production and release of the other inflammatory cytokines and that CCL2 is involved in NMO-IgG damaged initiation and expansion in astrocytes. Here, IL18 is linked to neuromyelitis optica.