Autoreactive T cells to the P3A+ isoform of AChR alpha subunit in myasthenia gravis.
In vitro T cell proliferative response to an alternative splicing variant of acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit (AChR alpha) with the P3A exon-encoded region was examined in peripheral blood samples from 28 myasthenia gravis (MG) patients and 14 healthy donors using recombinant fragments and synthetic peptides. T cells responsive to the P3A region-specific sequences were detected in five MG patients, all of whom were late-onset disease with thymoma, but in none of healthy donors. These autoreactive T cells may be involved in the pathogenic process in a subset of MG patients.
Suzuki
Shigeaki
S
Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
Tanaka
Kortaro
K
Yasuoka
Hidekata
H
Fukuuchi
Yasuo
Y
Kawakami
Yutaka
Y
Kuwana
Masataka
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D010446:Peptide Fragments; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins