title: [Neurofilament expression in thymic epithelial tumors and anti-axonal autoantibodies in myasthenia gravis: a model for autoimmunity by abnormal T cell selection].
abstract: Thymic epithelial tumors from myasthenia gravis (MG) patients and non-neoplastic thymuses were investigated by immunohistochemistry for the expression of neurofilament (NF) epitopes. There was little immunoreactivity confined to the medulla in non-neoplastic thymuses and a faint staining only for a 200 kD NF epitope in medullary and mixed thymomas. In contrast, cortical thymomas and well-differentiated thymic carcinomas expressed epitopes of the 68 kD and 160 kD NF. Demonstrating anti-axonal and anti-NF autoantibodies in thymoma patients we conclude that "false-positive T cell selection" is a mechanism of autoimmunity in paraneoplastic MG.
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001369:Axons / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000939:Epitopes / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D013945:Thymoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D000939:Epitopes; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins
vernacular_title: Neurofilament Expression in epithelialen Thymustumoren und antiaxonale Autoantikörper bei Myasthenia gravis: ein Modell für Autoimmunität durch defekte T-Zell-Selektion.