[Determination and clinical significance of serum anti-ryanodine receptor antibody in patients with myasthenia gravis].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the clinical significance of serum anti-ryanodine receptor (RyR) antibody in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis (MG).


METHODS
The crude sarcoplasmic reticulum was prepared from rabbit skeletal muscle, and then purified by differential centrifugation to produce the antigen. The serum anti-RyR antibody levels in 74 patients with MG (including 21 patients with comorbidic thymomas) were determined with ELISA.


RESULTS
Western blot demonstrated the presence of RyR in purified crude sarcoplasmic reticulum. The positive rate of anti-RyR antibody was significantly higher in MG patients who had comorbidic thymoma compared with those who had no such comorbidity (P < 0.01). Also, the positive rate was closely correlated with the severity of MG.


CONCLUSIONS
Serum anti-RyR antibody test is helpful in the diagnosis of MG associated with thymoma and can be used to judge the outcome of MG.
Cui
Li-Ying
LY
Department of Neurology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China. pumchcly@yahoo.com.cn
Li
Yan-Feng
YF
Li
Yong-Hong
YH
Zhang
Jun-Bao
JB
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel / Q000276:immunology*; D013945:Thymoma / Q000150:complications; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000150:complications
D001323:Autoantibodies; D019837:Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel