title: Measurement of anti-acetylcholine receptor auto-antibodies in myasthenia gravis.
abstract: Two different acetylcholine receptor (AChR) preparations derived from amputated human muscle (AChRAMP) and from the human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line TE671 (AChRTE671) were compared in radio-immunoprecipitation assays for the detection of AChR auto-antibodies in serum specimens from 20 patients with proven myasthenia gravis. Tests performed with the AChRTE671 and AChRAMP antigen preparations were positive in all the patients and in 19/20 respectively. A high degree of correlation (r = 0.94) was evident between the two auto-antigen preparations. Assays based on the use of TE671-derived antigen represent a useful alternative to the conventional assay using AChRAMP for the detection of AChR auto-antibodies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University of Pretoria.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Steenkamp
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Duim
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Myer
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Malfeld
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology*; D015531:Radioimmunoprecipitation Assay; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology*; D012208:Rhabdomyosarcoma; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic