Increased serum levels of the interferon-gamma-inducing cytokine interleukin-18 in myasthenia gravis.
In this study, the authors show that MG as an autoantibody-mediated disorder of neuromuscular transmission is associated with elevated serum levels of the interferon-gamma-inducing cytokine interleukin (IL)-18. IL-18 levels were higher in generalized than in ocular myasthenia and tended to decrease on clinical improvement. These findings suggest an unexpected role of IL-18 in B-cell-mediated autoimmune disease.
Department of Neurology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany. jander@uni-duesseldorf.de
Sebastian
S
Jander
Guido
G
Stoll
D000328:Adult; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology*
D020382:Interleukin-18; D007371:Interferon-gamma