title: Expansion of circulating counterparts of follicular helper T cells in patients with myasthenia gravis.
abstract: Growing evidence has demonstrated that dysfunction of follicular helper T (TFH) cells results in an abnormal positive selection of autoreactive B cells, which contributes to the development of autoimmune diseases. This study reveals that the frequency of circulating counterparts of TFH cells in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients is significantly higher compared to healthy controls. Interestingly, the frequencies of circulating TFH cells were positively correlated with the levels of serum anti-AChR Ab in MG patients. Our data suggest the presence of overactivation and expansion of circulating counterparts of TFH cells in MG patients, which may contribute to the immunopathogenesis of MG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, 58 Zhongshan 2nd Road, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors.forename: Chuanming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Weibin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Huiyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ouyang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D054382:Chemokine CXCL13 / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D060889:Inducible T-Cell Co-Stimulator Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D054380:Receptors, CXCR5 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015704:CD4 Antigens; C110663:CXCL13 protein, human; C095085:CXCR5 protein, human; D054382:Chemokine CXCL13; D016207:Cytokines; C556692:ICOS protein, human; D060889:Inducible T-Cell Co-Stimulator Protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054380:Receptors, CXCR5; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens; C516769:PTPRC protein, human