title: Thymic lymphocyte subpopulations in myasthenia gravis.
abstract: We compared the percentages of thymic mononuclear cells (TMC) that bind monoclonal antibodies to T-cell subpopulations in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and non-MG patients undergoing cardiac surgery (CS). There were no significant differences in percentages of OKT3+, OKT4+, OKT6+, or OKT8+ cells or the OKT4:OKT8 ratio. There was an increase in the percentage of Ia+ (immune response gene-associated antigen) TMC in MG compared with CS but no significant differences in B cells or phagocytic cells. The Ia+ cells could be abnormal B cells, activated T cells, or thymic dendritic cells.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000032:analysis; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood*; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000032:analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000032:analysis*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000032:analysis; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II