Antigen-specific therapy of experimental myasthenia gravis with acetylcholine receptor-gelonin conjugates in vivo.
Rats suffering from experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) induced by previous immunization with foreign acetylcholine receptor (AChR) were treated with AChR-toxin conjugates using the plant toxin gelonin. This led to a marked improvement of clinical symptoms as well as a significant increase in functional AChR compared to untreated rats with EAMG as determined 6 to 10 weeks later. No therapeutic effect was observed after treatment with gelonin or AChR alone. The immune response to irrelevant control antigens was not altered by this treatment.
Urbatsch
I L
IL
Fachbereich Chemie, Universität Kaiserslautern, FRG.
Sterz
R K
RK
Peper
K
K
Trommer
W E
WE
D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000276:immunology*; D054789:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1
D001323:Autoantibodies; D000922:Immunotoxins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D054789:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1; C025674:GEL protein, Gelonium multiflorum