title: Immunosuppressants increase the levels of natural autoantibodies reactive with glycosaminoglycans in myasthenia gravis.
abstract: Increasing number of evidences support the role of glycosylation in the evolution of autoimmunity. We examined carbohydrate-reactive natural autoantibodies systematically for the first time in patients with autoimmune myasthenia gravis. Antibodies reactive to glycosaminoglycans were measured with CovaLink ELISA in the sera of 59 myasthenia patients as well as in 54 healthy controls. We used the GlycoChip carbohydrate array to characterize individual carbohydrate recognition patterns. Chondroitin-sulphate C and anti-α-mannose-specific IgG levels were significantly elevated in myasthenia patients. Unexpectedly, we found that immunosuppressants increased the levels of the protective IgM glycosaminoglycan-reactive natural antibodies demonstrating a new role for these agents in immunoregulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Semmelweis University, 1083 Balassa u.6, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, 1089 Nagyvárad tér 4., Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Zsuzsanna
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacodynamics, Semmelweis University, 1089 Nagyvárad tér 4., Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tóthfalusi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Enzymology Biological Research Center, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Karolina u 29, Budapest H-1518, Hungary.
authors.forename: Zsolt
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lörincz
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, 1089 Nagyvárad tér 4., Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Bence
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: György
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genomic Medicine and Rare Disorders, Semmelweis University, 1083 Tömő u.18, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Maria Judit
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Molnar
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, 1089 Nagyvárad tér 4., Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Andras
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Falus
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Cell and Immunobiology, Semmelweis University, 1089 Nagyvárad tér 4., Budapest, Hungary. Electronic address: buzas.edit@med.semmelweis-univ.hu.
authors.forename: Edit I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Buzás
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood*; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D006025:Glycosaminoglycans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic
keywords: Autoimmunity; Glycosylation; Muscle