title: The role of B cell-activating factor in autoimmune myasthenia gravis.
abstract: B cell-activating factor (BAFF) is important in the development and maturation of B cells and their progeny-plasma blasts and plasma cells. There is increasing evidence that BAFF is involved in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases including myasthenia gravis. Increased expression of BAFF and receptors for BAFF have been demonstrated in thymus of patients with myasthenia gravis, and an increase in serum levels of BAFF have been reported in patients with myasthenia gravis. While the exact role of BAFF in the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis is not clear, BAFF and its receptors may provide potential targets for therapy in patients with myasthenia gravis.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Neurology, and Immunology and Microbiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA. rlisak@med.wayne.edu
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Lisak
authors.forename: Samia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ragheb
mesh_terms: D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D053265:B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D053264:B-Cell Activating Factor; D053265:B-Cell Activation Factor Receptor