Freeze-fracture and microviscosity of lymphocyte membranes in myasthenia gravis.
Alterations of membrane surface and membrane microviscosity were studied in peripheral blood lymphocytes from myasthenic patients and compared with those from healthy subjects and SLE patients. The membrane ultramicrostructure of myasthenic lymphocytes was changed less than those of healthy and SLE lymphocytes. It showed slightly clustered MAP with larger diameters and less density than the healthy lymphocytes and with less prominent wavy surfaces than SLE lymphocytes. The microviscosity of the myashtenic lymphocytes was significantly lower that of the healthy controls and correlated well with clinical severity and the titers of anti-AchR anti-body and T cell membrane binding antibody. Con A, AHLA, and myasthenic sera reduced the microviscosities of the healthy lymphocytes. These results showed that the morphological changes of the lymphocyte surface were reflected in the alteration of microviscosity of lymphocytes through the interaction between surface receptors of T lymphocytes and anti-membrane antibody, especially anti-AchR antibody and T cell membrane binding antibody in patients with myasthenia gravis.
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000494:pharmacology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005614:Freeze Fracturing; D006801:Humans; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014783:Viscosity
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D003208:Concanavalin A