title: Structural and ultrastructural localization of NGF and NGF receptors in the thymus of subjects affected by myasthenia gravis.
abstract: We have previously reported that the thymus of patients affected by myasthenia gravis (MG) is characterized by an elevated level of nerve growth factor (NGF), an endogenous polypeptide which plays a marked role in the cell biology of nervous and immune system. A consistent number of studies has shown altered expression of NGF in diseases associated with inflammatory and/or autoimmune responses. To evaluate the biochemical and molecular mechanisms implicated in NGF action in human myasthenic thymus, it is important to identify the cellular and structural organization of NGF receptors. To address this question, we investigated, both at light and electron microscopic levels, the cellular distribution of immunoreactivity for NGF and its low-affinity receptors, (p75) and its high-affinity receptor (TrkA) in the thymus of patients with MG. The present investigation shows that NGF and NGF receptors are overexpressed in the thymic cells of patients with MG compared to control subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biology, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: Tsvetana T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Marinova
authors.forename: Kamelia K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Velikova
authors.forename: Danail B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Petrov
authors.forename: Nikolai S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Kutev
authors.forename: Ivan S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Stankulov
authors.forename: George N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Chaldakov
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Triaca
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Manni
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aloe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D020917:Receptor, trkA / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D020800:Receptor, Nerve Growth Factor; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor; D020917:Receptor, trkA