title: Ganglionic acetylcholine receptor autoantibodies in patients with autoimmune diseases including primary biliary cirrhosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Autonomic dysfunction is closely associated with autoimmune diseases (AID) including primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of anti-ganglionic (nicotinic) acetylcholine receptor (gAChR) antibodies in patients with AID.
  
  
  METHODS
  We determined the presence of gAChR antibodies in serum samples from 146 patients (systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] = 32; rheumatoid arthritis [RA] = 43; systemic sclerosis [SSc] = 38; PBC= 33) without information regarding autonomic symptoms, as well as 34 patients with other neurological diseases [OND], and 73 healthy controls [HC]. We specifically analyzed sera for anti-gAChRα3 and -β4 antibodies using the luciferase immunoprecipitation system (LIPS) assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LIPS assay detected anti-gAChRα3 and -β4 antibodies in the sera from patients with SLE (12.5%, 4/32), RA (18.6%, 8/43), SSc (13.2%, 5/38), PBC (9.1%, 3/33), OND (2.9%, 1/34), and HC (0.0%, 1/73). There were no significant correlations between the levels of anti-gAChRα3 and -β4 antibodies, and the total titers of autoantibodies in AID.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results demonstrated a significant prevalence of anti-gAChR antibodies in patients with AID, which is independent of the production of other autoantibodies in patients with autoimmune diseases. These anti-gAChR antibodies could mediate the autonomic dysfunction involved in the autoimmune mechanisms of AID.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Clinical Research.|b Department of Neurology , National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Kawatana Medical Center , Nagasaki , Japan.|c Department of Neuroimmunology.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.affiliation: a Department of Clinical Research.|b Department of Neurology , National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Kawatana Medical Center , Nagasaki , Japan.
authors.forename: Shunya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakane
authors.affiliation: a Department of Clinical Research.
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Higuchi
authors.affiliation: d Department of Immunology and Rheumatology , Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences , Nagasaki , Japan.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: e Department of Clinical Research.|f Department of Hepatology , National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center , Nagasaki , Japan.
authors.forename: Atsumasa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Komori
authors.affiliation: e Department of Clinical Research.
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Migita
authors.affiliation: g Department of Neurology and Strokology , Nagasaki University Hospital , Nagasaki , Japan.|h First Department of Internal Medicine.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mukaino
authors.affiliation: d Department of Immunology and Rheumatology , Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences , Nagasaki , Japan.
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Umeda
authors.affiliation: d Department of Immunology and Rheumatology , Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences , Nagasaki , Japan.
authors.forename: Kunihiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ichinose
authors.affiliation: d Department of Immunology and Rheumatology , Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences , Nagasaki , Japan.
authors.forename: Mami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tamai
authors.affiliation: i Department of Public health , Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences , Nagasaki , Japan.
authors.forename: Shin-Ya
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kawashiri
authors.affiliation: b Department of Neurology , National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Kawatana Medical Center , Nagasaki , Japan.
authors.forename: Waka
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.affiliation: e Department of Clinical Research.|f Department of Hepatology , National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Medical Center , Nagasaki , Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yatsuhashi
authors.affiliation: d Department of Immunology and Rheumatology , Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences , Nagasaki , Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.affiliation: b Department of Neurology , National Hospital Organization Nagasaki Kawatana Medical Center , Nagasaki , Japan.
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic
keywords: Anti-ganglionic acetylcholine receptor antibodies; Primary biliary cirrhosis; Rheumatoid arthritis; Systemic lupus erythematosus; Systemic sclerosis