[Changes of the interleukin-1 in dysfunction of central nervous system in myasthenia gravis].
OBJECTIVE
Recent studies have demonstrated that acetylcholine receptor antibodies (AChRab) present in the serum of the patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) not only block acetylcholine transmission at the neuromuscular junction, but also cause dysfunction of central nervous system (CNS). The mechanism remains unclear. In the present study the concentration of interleukin-1 in the brain, thymus and blood was investigated to reveal the mechanism of CNS dysfunction in MG.


METHODS
The concentration of interleukin-1 in brain, thymus and blood was detected after establishing the experimental MG model of central nervous system dysfunction induced by injection of AChRab purified from MG sera into the rat cerebral ventricular system.


RESULTS
Interleukin-1 level in brain, thymus and blood started to increase one week after injection of AChRab. The level of interleukin-1 in brain tissue showed a very significant increase, as compared to that in thymus and blood till the end of 2 weeks after injection, where as in thymus and blood the increasing rate was relatively slow.


CONCLUSIONS
It is concluded that interleukin-1 increased in rat brain, thymus and blood may play an important role in generating dysfunction of CNS in MG.
Liu
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Department of Neurology, The Armied Police's Hospital of Siangsn Troops, Jiangsu, Yangzhou 225003.
Li
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Z
Liu
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Tang
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You
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D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007375:Interleukin-1