title: Are spontaneous anti-idiotypic antibodies against anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies present in myasthenia gravis?
abstract: The presence of anti-acetylcholine receptor anti-idiotypic antibodies in sera from 102 myasthenia gravis patients and from 33 first-degree relatives was investigated by: (a) Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using monoclonal antibodies raised against human acetylcholine receptor, (b) immunoprecipitation of 125I-monoclonal anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies; (c) inhibition of anti-acetylcholine receptor monoclonal antibody binding to the receptor and/or (d) inhibition of autologous and heterologous anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody binding to the receptor. No clear evidence for the presence of abnormal levels of spontaneous anti-idiotypic antibodies to anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies was found.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Sciences, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Vincent
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000937:Antigen-Antibody Reactions; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000276:immunology*; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic