Decreased expression of c-myc family genes in thymuses from myasthenia gravis patients.
The thymus is a critical organ for the elimination of autoreactive T cells by apoptosis. We studied the expression of apoptosis-associated genes, bcl-xL, bad, caspase-3, and c-myc family genes in myasthenia gravis (MG) thymuses. We observed that the mRNA levels of myc family genes, c-myc and max, were markedly reduced in MG thymuses. These results indicate that c-myc-mediated signaling is abnormal in MG thymuses. The levels of molecules whose expressions are associated with myc, such as STAM, prothymosin-alpha, and NFkappaB, were also analyzed.
Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryo-Machi, Sendai 980-8574, Aoba, Japan.
T
T
Nagata
H
H
Onodera
M
M
Ohuchi
Y
Y
Suzuki
H
H
Tago
K
K
Fujihara
N
N
Ishii
K
K
Sugamura
Y
Y
Shoji
M
M
Handa
K
K
Tabayashi
Y
Y
Itoyama
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D051778:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D056827:Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020569:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-rel / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013947:Thymosin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051025:bcl-Associated Death Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C494819:BAD protein, human; C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; D051778:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D056827:Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport; C499330:MAX protein, human; C079439:MXD1 protein, human; C067850:Myc associated factor X; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D020569:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-rel; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C109775:STAM protein, human; D051996:Transcription Factor RelA; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051025:bcl-Associated Death Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein; C040782:prothymosin alpha; D013947:Thymosin; C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases