title: Myasthenia gravis, thymoma, intestinal pseudo-obstruction, and neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antibody.
abstract: Intestinal pseudo-obstruction occurs rarely in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and thymoma. The etiology of the intestinal pseudo-obstruction remains to be elucidated, although an autoimmune mechanism is postulated. We present the first report of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-specific antibody in a patient with seropositive MG, malignant thymoma, and intestinal pseudo-obstruction. This finding provides evidence that intestinal pseudo-obstruction associated with thymoma and possibly other neoplasms may be related to antibodies against the neuronal nicotinic receptors at autonomic ganglia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pande
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Leis
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D005725:Ganglia, Autonomic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007418:Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009045:Motor Endplate / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000276:immunology*; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic