Specific immunotherapy of experimental myasthenia gravis by a novel mechanism.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Myasthenia gravis (MG) and its animal model, experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG), are antibody (Ab)-mediated autoimmune diseases, in which autoantibodies bind to and cause loss of muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) at the neuromuscular junction. To develop a specific immunotherapy of MG, we treated rats with ongoing EAMG by intraperitoneal injection of bacterially-expressed human muscle AChR constructs.

Methods

Rats with ongoing EAMG received intraperitoneal treatment with the constructs weekly for 5 weeks beginning after the acute phase. Autoantibody concentration, subclassification, and specificity were analyzed to address the underlying therapeutic mechanism.

Results

EAMG was specifically suppressed by diverting autoantibody pro

SUBMITTER: Luo J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2864953 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature