title: The intrathymic pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis.
abstract: The thymus is considered to play an important role in the pathogenesis of Myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disease characterized by antibody-mediated skeletal muscle weakness. However, its role is yet to be defined. The studies described herein summarize our efforts to determine how intrathymic expression of the neuromuscular type of acetylcholine (ACh) receptors is involved in the immunopathogenesis of this autoimmune disease. We review the work characterizing the expression of neuromuscular ACh receptors in the thymus and advance a new hypothesis that examines the intrathymic expression of this autoantigen in disease pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Allergy and Immunology Section, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Room 1014 BRB II/III, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. cwiuitt@mail.med.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Arnold I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Levinson
authors.forename: Decheng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gaulton
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D001324:Autoantigens; D002465:Cell Movement; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D018448:Models, Immunological; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology*; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000276:immunology; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001324:Autoantigens; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic