title: The effects of T cell subpopulations and recombinant interleukin (IL)-2 on peripheral B cell function in patients with myasthenia gravis.
abstract: Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease mediated by antibodies to acetylcholine receptors (AChR) of skeletal muscle. The production of anti-AChR antibodies has been shown to be T cell dependent. To elucidate the mechanism(s) of anti-AChR antibody production in myasthenic patients, we studied the effects of regulatory T cells and/or IL-2 on the differentiation of AChR-primed B cells, with use of AChR stimulation for the induction of anti-AChR antibodies in vitro. Our data suggest that CD8+ T cells possess some complicated functions. CD8+ T cells could not only provide help for B cells to secrete anti-AChR antibody, but also possibly inhibit response of CD4+ T cells or kill B cells, then repress anti-AChR antibody production in MG patients. There might be some defect either in the number or function of CD8+ T cell in MG patients. Exogenous IL-2 could completely restore the suppression activity of CD8+ T cells in anti-AChR antibody production in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008211:Lymphocyte Cooperation / Q000187:drug effects; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins