title: Characterization of peripheral blood acetylcholine receptor-binding B cells in experimental myasthenia gravis.
abstract: In myasthenia gravis (MG), the neuromuscular transmission is impaired by antibodies (Abs) specific for muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR). Anti-AChR Abs can be detected in the serum of MG patients, although their levels do not correlate with disease severity. In this study, we developed a flow cytometric assay for the detection of peripheral blood AChR-specific B cells to characterize B cell phenotypes associated with experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG). Alexa-conjugated AChR was used as a probe for AChR-specific B cells (B220+Ig+). Mice with EAMG had significantly elevated frequencies of AChR-specific IgG2+ and IgM+ B cells. While the frequencies of IgG2+ B cells and plasma anti-AChR IgG2 levels significantly correlated with the clinical grades of EAMG, the frequencies of IgM+ B cells and plasma anti-AChR IgM levels did not. These results indicate that the frequency of AChR-specific and IgG1+ (mouse IgG2 equivalent) peripheral blood B cells and anti-AChR IgG1 levels could be potential biomarkers for MG disease severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-1070, United States.
authors.forename: Windy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Allman
authors.forename: Shamsher S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Saini
authors.forename: Erdem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tuzun
authors.forename: Premkumar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Christadoss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007114:Immunization; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D020720:Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000097:blood*; D014101:Torpedo / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; C067297:8-aminohexylamino cAMP; D000242:Cyclic AMP