The effects of myasthenic immunoglobulins on neuromuscular transmission and thymus histology in mice.
An autoimmune reaction to the endplate acetylcholine receptor (AChR) is thought to be responsible for the muscular weakness of myasthenia gravis (MG). However, the significance of antithymic antibodies and the thymic AChR-like protein is still uncertain. We transferred immunoglobulins (Igs) from patients with MG to mice. Thymitis was observed in 12 of 14 mice, and miniature endplate potential amplitudes were reduced in 8. Control mice showed none of these abnormalities. Immunofluorescence examination failed to reveal the binding of human IgG, IgM, or IgA to the thymic tissue. Our findings support the hypothesis that antithymic antibodies may alter thymic histology.
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000276:immunology*; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D000109:Acetylcholine