title: Interleukin-4 deficiency facilitates development of experimental myasthenia gravis and precludes its prevention by nasal administration of CD4+ epitope sequences of the acetylcholine receptor.
abstract: Immunization with acetylcholine receptor (AChR) causes experimental myasthenia gravis (EMG). We investigated EMG in interleukin (IL)-4 knock out B6 (KO) mice, that lack Th2 cells. EMG was more frequent in KO than in wild type B6 mice. KO and B6 mice developed similar amounts of anti-AChR antibodies. They were IgG2a and IgG2b in KO mice, IgG1 and IgG2b in B6 mice. CD4+ cells from KO and B6 mice recognized the same AChR epitopes. Nasal administration of synthetic AChR CD4+ epitopes reduced antibody synthesis and prevented EMG in B6, not in KO mice. Thus, Th2 cells may have protective functions in EMG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108, USA.
authors.forename: P I
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Karachunski
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Ostlie
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Okita
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Conti-Fine
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D002038:Bungarotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000276:immunology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D014101:Torpedo
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D002038:Bungarotoxins; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D000939:Epitopes; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D015847:Interleukin-4; D003165:Complement System Proteins