title: Predictive value of serum anti-C1q antibody levels in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis.
abstract: Components of the complement cascade and circulating immune complexes play important roles in both experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis and myasthenia gravis in humans. Thus far, no serological factor has been identified to predict the clinical severity of either myasthenia gravis. Upon immunization with acetylcholine receptor, levels of complement factors C1q, C3 and CIC increase with time in sera from C57BL/6 (B6) mice. Both these and plasma samples from myasthenia gravis patients also contain anti-C1q antibodies. The serum levels of anti-C1q antibodies but not C1q, C3 and CIC are significantly correlated with the clinical severity in the experimental myasthenia mice. However, this correlation is not observed in myasthenia gravis patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-1070, USA. ertuzan@utmb.edu
authors.forename: Erdem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tüzün
authors.forename: Shamsher S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Saini
authors.forename: Sidharth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rowin
authors.forename: Matthew N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Meriggioli
authors.forename: Premkumar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Christadoss
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000097:blood*; D003172:Complement C1 / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D015922:Complement C1q / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008875:Middle Aged; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000503:physiopathology; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020720:Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D003172:Complement C1; D003176:Complement C3; D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015922:Complement C1q