title: Increased thymocyte differentiation in myasthenia gravis: a dual-color immunofluorescence phenotypic analysis.
abstract: Thymocytes express multiple, different surface antigens according to their stage of maturation. Surface differentiation antigens have been studied with the technique of simultaneous dual-color, direct immunofluorescence in the thymuses of 20 patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and 10 control subjects with cardiac diseases. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated and phycoerythrin-conjugated monoclonal antibodies were used to stain thymic cell suspensions. A significant decrease in the percentage of immature and common thymocyte phenotypes (CD1+,3+ and CD4+,8+) and a significant increase in the percentage of mature thymocyte phenotypes (CD1-,3+; CD4+,8-; and CD4-,8+) and of B cells (CD20+) were found in MG thymuses compared with controls. These data, indicating an increased availability of mature, fully immunocompetent T and B cells, indirectly suggest the occurrence of an active immune response in MG thymus.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Neurologica, Facoltà di Medicina, Università di Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Durelli
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Massazza
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poccardi
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ferrio
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cavallo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casadio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Summa
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bergamini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte