Idiotypic and antiidiotypic T and B lymphocytes in myasthenia gravis.
The prevalence of Id and anti-Id T and B cells as measured by their reactivities with two human mAb, one antiacetylcholine receptor mAb and one anti-Id mAb, was studied in 38 patients with myasthenia gravis and in 27 healthy individuals. Id and anti-Id T cells were estimated by enumerating the numbers of cells secreting IFN-gamma in response to 10 pg/ml of the human mAb. T cell stimulation, measured as numbers of IFN-gamma-secreting cells that exceeded the mean + 2 SD of controls, was induced by the Id mAb in 78.9% of the patients and in 7.4% of the controls, whereas the anti-Id mAb-stimulated T cells in 55.3% of the patients and in 3.7% of the controls. The mean value of the Id and anti-Id-reactive T cells in the patients was 18.3/10(5) and 10.1/10(5) PBMC, respectively. B cells secreting IgM antibodies binding to the human mAb were increased in patients with myasthenia gravis compared to healthy controls. Seventy-five percent of the patients and 12% of the controls had B cells secreting IgM antibodies binding to the Id mAb, although 89% of the patients and 16% of the controls had B cells secreting IgM antibodies binding to the anti-Id mAb. The mean value of B cells secreting IgM antibodies binding to Id or anti-Id mAb in the patients were 7.4 cells/10(6) and 5.5 cells/10(6) PBMC, respectively. We conclude that Id and anti-Id T and B cells are present in myasthenia gravis. These methods allow a quantitative estimation of T and B cells with defined specificities and thus a way of mapping the repertoire of lymphocytes.
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Immunological Research Laboratory, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Lefvert
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000032:analysis*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000032:analysis*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007371:Interferon-gamma