Altered levels of nerve growth factor in the thymus of subjects with myasthenia gravis.
We have previously reported that nerve growth factor (NGF), a polypeptide known for its neurotrophic activities, is also involved in the differentiation and survival of immune cells, and that NGF and its high-affinity receptor are present in the thymus. We here demonstrate that the thymus of humans affected by myasthenia gravis (MG) contains significant concentrations of NGF. These observations support our hypothesis of a role for NGF in the thymus and suggest that the changes observed in the thymus of subject with MG may have functional significance.
Stampachiacchiere
Barbara
B
Section of Neurobiology, Institute of Neurobiology and Molecular Medicine, CNR, Viale Marx, 15/43, Rome-I-00137, Italy.
Marinova
Tsvetana
T
Velikova
Kamelia
K
Philipov
Stanislav
S
Stankulov
Ivan S
IS
Chaldakov
George N
GN
Fiore
Marco
M
Aloe
Luigi
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism*
D020932:Nerve Growth Factor