Reduced plasmablast frequency is associated with seronegative myasthenia gravis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The immunopathology of autoimmune seronegative myasthenia gravis (SN MG) is poorly understood. Our objective was to determine immune profiles associated with a diagnosis of SN MG.

Methods

We performed high-dimensional flow cytometry on blood samples from SN MG patients (N = 68), healthy controls (N = 46), and acetylcholine receptor antibody (AChR+) MG patients (N = 27). We compared 12 immune cell subsets in SN MG to controls using logistic modeling via a discovery-replication design. An exploratory analysis fit a multinomial model comparing AChR+ MG and controls to SN MG.

Results

An increase in CD19⁺ CD20^- CD38^hi plasmablast frequencies was associated with lower odds of being a SN MG case in both the discovery and replicatio

SUBMITTER: Guptill JT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8100987 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature