Experimental myasthenia in Balb/c mice immunized with rat acetylcholine receptor from rat denervated muscle.
A new model of an autoimmune disease of the neuromuscular junction was obtained by injection of acetylcholine receptor purified from rat denervated muscles into Balb/c mice. Anti-rat, then anti-mouse acetylcholine receptor antibodies, appear in mouse serum during the immunization procedure. Electrophysiological investigations performed on immunized mice reveal a neuromuscular block similar to that found in myasthenia gravis. Not a single mouse with objective signs of muscular weakness was lacking anti-mouse acetylcholine receptor antibodies but no correlation was found between their level and the severity of the disease.
D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009132:Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic
D000906:Antibodies; D001323:Autoantibodies; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic