title: Myasthenia gravis in a man with a history of chordoma: Observations of muscle-like antigens in chordoma
abstract: A 67-year-old white man with a remote history of a chordoma of the clivus presented with myasthenia gravis. We investigated the possibility that these conditions were related immunologically. Tissue sections of various chordoma specimens were reacted with dilutions of patient serum and control serum by an indirect immunoperoxidase method. In addition, sections were reacted with antibodies to muscle antigens. Of six chordomas, five reacted positively to patient serum. None reacted to control serum. One chordoma reacted positively to desmin, and all six reacted positively to myoglobin. We propose that the patient may have produced antibody to muscle-like antigens of the chordoma that subsequently cross-reacted with acetylcholine receptor and led to clinical myasthenia gravis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, IL, USA; Department of Neurology, St Luke's Medical Center, Cedar Rapids, IA, USA.
authors.forename: Henry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, IL, USA; Department of Neurology, St Luke's Medical Center, Cedar Rapids, IA, USA.
authors.forename: Erich W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Streib
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D002817:Chordoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D003893:Desmin / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009211:Myoglobin / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D000941:Antigens; D003893:Desmin; D009211:Myoglobin; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic