Expanded TCR Vbeta subsets of CD8(+) T-cells in late-onset myasthenia gravis: novel parallels with thymoma patients.
Little is known about pathogenesis -- and especially about involvement of CD8(+) T-cells -- in late-onset myasthenia gravis (LOMG). Remarkably, outstanding CD8(+) TCRVbeta-subset expansions were found in 64% and 72% of recent onset LOMG or thymoma-associated MG (vs. 16% with early-onset MG (p<0.0002); 21% in older controls (p<0.001)). In LOMG, ~25% of the expanded cells initially showed a naïve CD62L(+hi)/CD45RA(+) recent thymic emigrant (RTE)-like phenotype. These expansions associated significantly with IgG antibodies against cytomegalovirus (p<0.036), IL-12 and/ or IFN-alpha2 (p<0.03). The CD8(+) TCRVbeta expansions were stable over 5years, but RTE markers declined.
Philipps-University, Clinical Neuroimmunology Group, Department of Neurology, Marburg, Germany. tackenbb@staff.uni-marburg.de
B
B
Tackenberg
K
K
Schlegel
M
M
Happel
C
C
Eienbröker
K
K
Gellert
W H
WH
Oertel
A
A
Meager
N
N
Willcox
N
N
Sommer
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000276:immunology; D019041:L-Selectin / Q000378:metabolism; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000502:physiology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013945:Thymoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019041:L-Selectin; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens