Complementary strategies to elucidate T helper cell epitopes in myasthenia gravis.
CD4(+) T cells specific for the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) are assumed to play an important role in pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis (MG). A large and diverse number of potential T cell epitopes have been reported for different experimental setups aiming at the identification of disease-relevant T cells in MG. Investigating the T cell response to the epsilon subunit of human AChR, we explore complementary in vitro and in vivo approaches (PBMC from MG patients and mice transgenic for HLA-DR3 and human CD4) to address the possibilities and limitations of different strategies for elucidating natural autoimmune T cell epitopes.
Jung
Christine
C
Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 18, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Stoeckle
Christina
C
Wiesmüller
Karl-Heinz
KH
Laub
Rüdiger
R
Emmrich
Frank
F
Jung
Günther
G
Melms
Arthur
A
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D053299:Apolipoprotein B-100 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018604:Epitope Mapping; D000939:Epitopes / Q000502:physiology*; D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000276:immunology; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology*
D053299:Apolipoprotein B-100; D015704:CD4 Antigens; C504423:CHRNE protein, human; D000939:Epitopes; D015803:HLA-DR3 Antigen; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic