Immune activation in myasthenia gravis: soluble interleukin-2 receptor, interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels in patients' serum.
Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels were evaluated in serum from patients affected by myasthenia gravis (MG). sIL-2R titers were significantly increased in generalized and bulbar MG patients while ocular cases were not different from controls. Patients showing a recent clinical worsening had significantly higher sIL-2R titers when compared to the whole MG population. sIL-2R levels did not correlate with the corresponding anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody titer (Anti-AChR Ab). IFN-gamma was not detected in serum of both MG patients and healthy subjects while TNF-alpha levels were not statistically different from controls. The finding of increased sIL-2R levels supports the hypothesis of circulating activated autoreactive T cells in myasthenic patients.
Confalonieri
P
P
Neuromuscular Research Center, Istituto Nazionale Neurologico C. Besta, Milan, Italy.
Antozzi
C
C
Cornelio
F
F
Simoncini
O
O
Mantegazza
R
R
D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma