title: Autoreactive T cells to the P3A+ isoform of AChR alpha subunit in myasthenia gravis.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeaki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kortaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Hidekata
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yasuoka
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukuuchi
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuwana
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins