Monoclonal antibody analysis of blood T-cell subsets in myasthenia gravis.
Analysis of peripheral blood T -cell subsets and B-cells in patients with myasthenia gravis was performed using monoclonal antibodies and antibody against surface immunoglobulins (SIg) in an immunofluorescent technique. We found a modest but significant decrease in percentages of OKT3- and OKT8-positive cells (thought to represent total T-cells and T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells, respectively) in myasthenics as a group. The percentage of OKT3-positive cells was significantly decrease in patients with late-onset disease (greater than 35 years old), while the percentage of OKT8-positive cells was significantly reduced in those with early-onset myasthenia (greater than 35 years old). Both thymectomized and nonthymectomized patients exhibited a decreased percentage of OKT3-positive cells. No significant difference was found between the percentages of SIg-positive cells in myasthenics and controls. Our results suggest that only modest imbalances of circulating immunoregulatory lymphocytes occur in myasthenia gravis; however, it is conceivable that the small differences observed in this study may reflect pathogenetically important reductions in a functionally distinct lymphocyte subpopulation.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology*; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000032:analysis; D013934:Thymectomy
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006680:HLA Antigens; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell