DNA microarray in search of new drug targets for myasthenia gravis.
DNA microarray technology was used to identify new potential drug targets for myasthenia gravis (MG), to delineate genes involved in the pathogenesis of the disease and to possibly target their protein products for immunotherapy. In this study we compared the gene expression in lymph node cells (LNC) and muscles of rats with experimental autoimmune MG (EAMG) to those of control, healthy rats. Of the genes that were found to be deregulated in EAMG, we chose to elaborate on two gene systems: (a) The chemokine IFN-gamma-inducible protein 10 (IP-10, CXCL10), and its receptor (CXCR3) and (b) phosphodiesterases.
Feferman
Tali
T
Department of Immunology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
Aricha
Revital
R
Menon
Renuka
R
Souroujon
Miriam C
MC
Berrih-Aknin
Sonia
S
Fuchs
Sara
S
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D054357:Chemokine CXCL10; D019743:Chemokines, CXC / Q000235:genetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D054367:Receptors, CXCR3; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000235:genetics