Cellular immunity in myasthenia gravis after thymectomy and corticosteroid therapy.
Clinical and immunological changes in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) who had extended thymectomy (Tx) and/or corticosteroid therapy were examined to elucidate the mechanisms of improvement following the treatments. The changes found were: 1) After Tx and steroid therapy, in patients with MG who showed clinical improvement, the CD4/CD8 ratio and B lymphocyte subpopulations were markedly decreased. 2) Linear correlations between two T-cell subsets were evident in CD3 against CD4 and CD4/CD8 against CD4 after both Tx and steroid therapy. 3) T lymphocytes-CD8 decreased immediately after Tx and returned to pre-treatment levels within three weeks. 4) Cellular sensitization against a nicotine acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-like protein isolated from fetal calf thymus decreased after steroid therapy. These results indicate that clinical improvement in MG after the treatments was accompanied by a decrease in helper/inducer T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes and specific lymphocyte sensitization against nicotinic AChR.
Kawanami
S
S
First Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.
Mori
S
S
Kamei
H
H
Oita
J
J
Yamasaki
H
H
Okumura
M
M
Shimura
H
H
Shirakusa
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002464:Cell Migration Inhibition; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D013934:Thymectomy
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones