The significance of titin antibodies in myasthenia gravis--correlation with thymoma and severity of myasthenia gravis.
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is caused by autoantibodies to acetylcholine receptors (AChR). Non-AChR muscle autoantibodies, such as titin antibodies, are present in sera of many MG patients. To study the correlation between titin antibodies and the features of MG, the cDNA segment encoding MGT-30 was amplified and sequenced. The cloned MGT-30 cDNA was expressed in vector pET-30a, and then transfected into E.coli. BL21. We examined titin antibodies in sera of 265 normal subjects, 154 MG patients with different thymic pathology and 48 patients with other neurological diseases. Titin antibodies occurred more frequently in MGT, especially in MG with epithelial predominant-thymoma, and were correlated with the severity of disease. The levels of titin antibodies were reduced 6 months after thymectomy. The specificity of titin antibodies for the detection of thymoma was higher than that of CT examination in MG with thymoma. These results suggest that titin antibodies could be useful in both diagnosis and follow-up of MG patients with thymoma.
Chen
Xiang-Jun
XJ
Institute of Neurology, Fudan University, 12 Wulumuqi Zhong Road, 200040, Shanghai, China.
Qiao
Jian
J
Xiao
Bao-Guo
BG
Lu
Chuan-Zhen
CZ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000906:Antibodies / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D064211:Connectin; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000601:surgery; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013934:Thymectomy / Q000379:methods; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors
D000906:Antibodies; D064211:Connectin; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C577285:TTN protein, human; D011494:Protein Kinases