title: Specific immune complexes augment in vitro acetylcholine receptor-specific T-cell proliferation.
abstract: We investigated the interaction between acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-specific T-helper cells from patients with myasthenia gravis and murine monoclonal anti-AChR antibodies. At optimal antigen concentration, anti-AChR antibodies neither enhanced nor impaired T-cell responses. However, at substimulatory antigen concentration, addition of anti-AChR antibodies substantially enhanced the proliferation of AChR-specific T cells. In spite of low amounts of antigen, immune complex formation allowed highly efficient capture and uptake of antigen via Fc receptors on antigen-presenting cells, which could be inhibited by an antibody to Fc receptors. Immune complex-mediated stimulation of sensitized AChR-specific T lymphocytes in vivo may contribute to the exacerbation of the disease, and demonstrates the interaction between T and B lymphocytes in myasthenia gravis.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Society, Clinical Research Unit for Multiple Sclerosis, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Melms
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weissert
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Klinkert
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Schalke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tzartos
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wekerle
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex / Q000276:immunology*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division; D000939:Epitopes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000936:Antigen-Antibody Complex; D015703:Antigens, CD; D001323:Autoantibodies; D000939:Epitopes; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic