[T suppressor cell function in patients with myasthenia gravis].
The activities of Con A-induced Suppressor Cells (Con-ASC) were determined in 50 patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and 24 healthy controls. The ConA-SC activity of the patients with MG was significantly decreased as compared with that of the controls (10.06%) versus 25.28%, (P less than 0.01). Furthermore, the patients with generalized myasthenia gravis (GMG) had a lower ConA-SC activity than those with extraocular muscle myasthenia gravis (EMMG) (9.37% versus 12.13%, P less than 0.05), but their serum anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody titer was higher than that of patients with EMMG (20.55 x 10(-9) M versus 2.4 x 10(-9) M, P less than 0.01). No correlation found between the ConA-SC activity and the sex or duration of disease of the MG patients. And no effects of prednisone and thymectomy were found on the ConA-SC activity of MG patients. The results of the study suggested that the decreased function of suppressor T lymphocytes might play an important role in the pathogenesis of MG.
Hu
Q
Q
Department of microbiology and immunology, West China University of Medical Sciences, Chengdu.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000502:physiology*
D003208:Concanavalin A