title: Immunosuppression of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis by mycophenolate mofetil.
abstract: Currently used non-specific immunosuppressive drugs often require intervention in myasthenia gravis (MG) and clinical improvement varies widely. To analyze the therapeutic effect of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in experimental autoimmune MG (EAMG), rats were immunized with acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) and subsequently treated with MMF or vehicle. MMF treatment resulted in a significant suppression of anti-rat AChR antibody titers. Interestingly, no abnormalities of neuromuscular transmission and adverse side effects were detected in MMF-treated EAMG animals. Moreover, anti-rat AChR antibody titers correlated to an improvement of clinical outcome. In conclusion, our data suggest that MMF acts as a potent immunosuppressant drug in EAMG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sofie P M
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Phernambucq
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martinez-Martinez
authors.forename: Marc H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: De Baets
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Losen
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D020720:Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D050494:Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; C493461:Slc18a3 protein, rat; D050494:Vesicular Acetylcholine Transport Proteins; C051609:peripheral membrane protein 43K; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid