The role of the thymus in the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis.
Myasthenia gravis is an organ-specific autoimmune disease characterized by the production of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies. In this review, I describe the pathophysiological importance of the altered chemokine receptor-mediated signaling in the thymus and peripheral blood of myasthenia gravis patients. The epidemiological and clinical features of myasthenia gravis are also discussed.
Onodera
Hiroshi
H
Department of Neurology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryomachi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Japan. honodera@em.neurol.med.tohoku.ac.jp
D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018925:Chemokines / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D018925:Chemokines; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine