Chronic murine experimental myasthenia gravis: strength testing and serology.
CB6 (Balb/c x C57Bl/6 F1) and C57Bl/6 (B6) mice were hyperimmunized with Torpedo acetylcholine receptor (AChR) for 7 months. Control groups were hyperimmunized with bovine serum albumin. Antibody titers against Torpedo AChR rose quickly, reaching plateau levels by 3-4 months, while antibody to mouse AChR lagged by a few months, reaching plateau levels in 5 months. After the last immunization the mice maintained a state of stable autoimmunity for 9 months with high levels of antibodies against Torpedo and mouse AChR. Fatigability was measured on a programmable treadmill and remained present through the 9 months after the last immunization. CB6 mice had less weakness than the B6 mice, but the latter strain when immunized with BSA had more "false-positive" weakness. Titers of antibodies did not correlate with the degree of weakness measured on the treadmill. Despite the weakness and the high titers of anti-AChR antibodies, sera from myasthenic mice, in contrast to sera from myasthenic humans, were not able to block bungarotoxin binding to native AChR on the surface of BC3H1 cells.
Pachner
A R
AR
Department of Neurology, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, D.C. 20007.
Itano
A
A
Ricalton
N
N
Choe
S
S
D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000276:immunology; D014101:Torpedo
D001323:Autoantibodies; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine