Possible involvement of toll-like receptors in the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis.
Toll-like receptors (TLRs), the innate immunity components, have been demonstrated to participate in multiple autoimmune diseases. However, our knowledge of the roles of TLRs in myasthenia gravis (MG) is still scarce. In this study, we detected the mRNA expression of TLR1 to TLR10 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of MG patients and the healthy controls by quantitative real-time polymerase transcription chain reaction. Our data demonstrate that aberrant expressions of TLRs exist in the PBMCs of MG patients and of the total, expression level of TLR9 mRNA has significantly positive relation with the clinical severity of MG, which suggests that TLRs may be involved in the pathogenesis of MG.
Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China.
Yu-Zhong
YZ
Wang
Mei
M
Yan
Fa-Fa
FF
Tian
Jun-Mei
JM
Zhang
Qun
Q
Liu
Huan
H
Yang
Wen-Bin
WB
Zhou
Jing
J
Li
D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011241:Prednisone / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; C495371:TLR9 protein, human; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D011241:Prednisone