Autoimmune diseases involving nicotinic receptors.
The antibody-mediated autoimmune response to alpha1 muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors that causes myasthenia gravis is one of the best characterized autoimmune diseases. Antibody-mediated autoimmune responses to neuronal nicotinic receptors are just beginning to be discovered and characterized. One of these causes dysautonomia through antibodies to alpha 3 nicotinic receptors of autonomic ganglia. Another causes pemphigus through antibodies to alpha 9 nicotinic receptors in skin. Other autoimmune responses to nicotinic receptors may be discovered as the many functional roles of nicotinic receptors are revealed.
Lindstrom
Jon
J
Department of Neuroscience, Medical School of the University of Pennsylvania, 217 Stemmler Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6074, USA. jslkk@mail.med.upenn.edu
D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D001323:Autoantibodies; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic