In vitro synthesis of antibodies to acetylcholine receptor by Epstein-Barr virus-stimulated B-lymphocytes derived from patients with myasthenia gravis.
Peripheral blood lymphocytes and B-cells were obtained from patients with myasthenia gravis and stimulated in vitro with either pokeweed mitogen or Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), respectively. EBV stimulation of B-cells caused a production of antibodies to acetylcholine receptor in 15 of the 25 myasthenia gravis patients: the EBV stimulation of B-cells was more effective in this regard than the pokeweed mitogen stimulation of peripheral blood lymphocytes. The in vitro synthesis of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies was found to be positively correlated with both the patients' sera antibody titers and with the disease severity.
Brenner
T
T
Department of Neurology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
Timore
Y
Y
Wirguin
I
I
Abramsky
O
O
Steinitz
M
M
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic