Reduced expression of apoptosis-related antigens in thymuses from patients with myasthenia gravis.
Expression of the apoptosis-related antigens, Fas and BM-1, in thymuses from patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) was examined using immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Fas antigen was markedly decreased in lymphoid follicles in thymuses from patients with MG, but was expressed diffusely in the remaining thymus tissues and in neonatal thymuses. BM-1 antigen was not expressed in the lymphoid follicles or other parts of the thymus. Fas mRNA was also decreased to various degrees in the thymuses from MG patients. Therefore, Fas antigen may play an important role in autoimmune diseases including MG.
Masunaga
A
A
Department of Pathology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama Medical School, Japan.
Arai
T
T
Yoshitake
T
T
Itoyama
S
S
Sugawara
I
I
D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000378:metabolism*; D017209:Apoptosis; D001483:Base Sequence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000378:metabolism*; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D019014:fas Receptor
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D007983:Lewis Blood Group Antigens; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D019014:fas Receptor