In vivo adsorption of autoantibodies in myasthenia gravis using Nanodisc-incorporated acetylcholine receptor.

ABSTRACT: Autoantibodies directed against the skeletal muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of the autoimmune disease, myasthenia gravis (MG). The pathogenic importance of anti-AChR antibodies is substantiated clinically by the often dramatic clinical improvement that follows removal of circulating antibodies utilizing extracorporeal plasma exchange (PE). Unfortunately, the effects of PE are non-specific as immunoglobulins (IgG) and other plasma proteins are removed in addition to anti-AChR IgG. In this study, we have successfully incorporated the AChR protein purified from Torpedo californicus into a Nanodisc (ND) membrane scaffold protein/phospholipid structure. We go on to demonstrate the effectiveness of this ND-AChR complex, administered intravenously, i

SUBMITTER: Sheng JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2939281 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature