title: [A case of thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis with antibodies against interferon-alpha--a clinico-immunological follow up of the symptoms and its titer].
abstract: A 73-year-old woman developed myasthenia gravis (MG) with thymoma. She had a very high level of serum antibodies against interferon-alfa (IFN-alpha). We observed the changes to her clinical symptoms and titer of the antibody during therapeutic course. Although she underwent thymectomy, intravenous methylprednisolone therapy, and oral tacrolimus administration, MG symptoms of the patient were not significantly improved and the antibody titer remained at a high level. IFN-alpha is a potent immunomodulating cytokine that regulates MHC class II expression on antigen presenting cells and activities of NK cells, B cells, and helper/suppressor T cells. This case suggests that IFN-alpha related immunological perturbation participates in the pathogenesis of thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamori
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Atsuhiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kunitomi
authors.forename: Akinori
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iyama
authors.forename: Sonoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nozaki
authors.forename: Harutoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujimura
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shinno
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000276:immunology*; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D020551:Pulse Therapy, Drug; D016559:Tacrolimus / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013934:Thymectomy; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D016559:Tacrolimus; D008775:Methylprednisolone