Elevation of IL-12 p40 and its antibody in myasthenia gravis with thymoma.
We examined the serum levels of cytokines, interferon (IFN)-alpha, IFN-gamma, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-12 p40, and IL-12 p70; those that affect the T helper 1 and 2 balance in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). Among the cytokines tested, only IL-12 p40, together with the serum titer of anti-IL-12 p40 antibody, was significantly elevated in MG with thymoma. Their elevation was independent of the histopathology of thymoma. Thymectomy decreased the levels of IL-12 p40 accompanied by the anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody, but not anti-IL-12 p40 antibodies. These data strongly suggest the association of IL-12 p40 and its autoantibody with the immunopathology of MG with thymoma.
Yoshikawa
Hiroaki
H
Department of Neurology and Neurobiology of Aging, Graduate School of Medicine Kanazawa University, Japan. @kenroku.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
Sato
Katsuaki
K
Edahiro
Shigeki
S
Furukawa
Yutaka
Y
Maruta
Takahiro
T
Iwasa
Kazuo
K
Watanabe
Hideto
H
Takaoka
Shizuka
S
Suzuki
Yasuhiro
Y
Takamori
Masaharu
M
Yamada
Masahito
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D021122:Protein Subunits; D018664:Interleukin-12