title: CD4+ T cell repertoire on the epsilon subunit of muscle acetylcholine receptor in myasthenia gravis.
abstract: We have identified sequence regions of the human muscle acetylcholine receptor epsilon subunit recognized by CD4+ T cells from myasthenia gravis patients. We tested the proliferative response in vitro of blood CD4+ cells from 18 myasthenic patients and 5 controls, to individual overlapping synthetic peptides spanning the epsilon subunit sequence. All patients recognized a complex epitope repertoire. The peptides recognized by the CD4+ cells included sequence regions of the epsilon subunit that were diverged as compared to the homologous sequences of the other receptor subunits. Recognition of epitopes formed by sequence regions unique to the epsilon subunit suggests a direct role of this subunit in sensitizing the CD4+ cells. Several epsilon subunit peptides were recognized by many patients. Thus the epsilon subunit, like other acetylcholine receptor subunits, forms 'universal' CD4+ epitopes. The healthy subjects recognized some epsilon subunit peptides sporadically and at a low level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, St. Paul 55108-1022, USA.
authors.forename: Z Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Okita
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Conti-Fine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology*; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic