Myasthenia gravis: demonstration of membrane attack complex in muscle end-plates.
The membrane attack complex (MAC) assembles from C5b-9 complement components and has neoantigenic properties. Antihuman-MAC rabbit immunserum was applied in order to localize the MAC in myasthenic muscles. Using the indirect immunoperoxidase method MAC was demonstrated at the motor end-plates in eleven myasthenic patients who underwent thymectomy. This result provides direct evidence of antibody-dependent complement-mediated injury of acetylcholine receptors in myasthenia gravis.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003186:Complement C9 / Q000032:analysis; D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D009045:Motor Endplate / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D009132:Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000601:surgery
D003186:Complement C9; D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex; D003165:Complement System Proteins