title: Treatment of experimental myasthenia with autologous idiotypes linked to muramyl dipeptide.
abstract: In order to develop a new treatment of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG), rabbits were injected with purified acetylcholine receptor (AChR) from Torpedo californica. Polyclonal affinity-purified anti-AChR antibodies (idiotypes, Ids) were coupled covalently to muramyl dipeptide and injected back into the same (i.e. autologous) rabbits from which the Ids were obtained. Treated animals developed anti-Ids that bound to the F(ab')2 fragments of the Ids as demonstrated by ELISA and that also blocked binding of Ids to AChR in a radioimmunoassay. Treated animals showed a protective effect compared to control animals when challenged with a second injection of AChR. Anti-AChR titres in surviving animals achieved a steady-state equilibrium. No apparent toxicity from the treatment was noted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, SUNY-Health Science Center, Brooklyn 11203.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valderrama
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Eggers
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moomjy
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Kao
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Michl
mesh_terms: D000119:Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine / Q000276:immunology; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000276:immunology*; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D011817:Rabbits; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D000119:Acetylmuramyl-Alanyl-Isoglutamine