biostudies-literatureMasi GNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNational Institute of Neurological Disorders and StrokeTakeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A.UCB PharmaNCATS NIH HHSGenentechCenters for Disease Control and PreventionNIAID NIH HHSNINDS NIH HHSNational Institute of Mental HealthNational Institutes of HealthMyasthenia Gravis Foundation of America577850https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9106915biostudies-literatureUnknown367Trial eligibility in myasthenia gravis (MG) remains largely dependent on a positive autoantibody serostatus. This significantly hinders seronegative MG (SNMG) patients from receiving potentially beneficial new treatments. In a subset of SNMG patients, acetylcholine receptor (AChR) autoantibodies are detectable by a clustered AChR cell-based assay (CBA). Of 99 SNMG patients from two academic U.S. centers, 18 (18.2%) tested positive by this assay. Autoantibody positivity was further validated in 17/18 patients. In a complementary experiment, circulating AChR-specific B cells were identified in a CBA-positive SNMG patient. These findings corroborate the clinical need for clustered AChR CBA testing when evaluating SNMG patients.Journal of neuroimmunologyThe clinical need for clustered AChR cell-based assay testing of seronegative MG.PMC9106915R01 AI114780R21 AI164590R01-AI114780R21-AI164590UL1 TR001863U54 NS115054T32 AI007019Masi GNowak RJO'Connor KCPham MCLi YKaratz TOxendine SRGuptill JTfalseThe clinical need for clustered AChR cell-based assay testing of seronegative MG.Trial eligibility in myasthenia gravis (MG) remains largely dependent on a positive autoantibody serostatus. This significantly hinders seronegative MG (SNMG) patients from receiving potentially beneficial new treatments. In a subset of SNMG patients, acetylcholine receptor (AChR) autoantibodies are detectable by a clustered AChR cell-based assay (CBA). Of 99 SNMG patients from two academic U.S. centers, 18 (18.2%) tested positive by this assay. Autoantibody positivity was further validated in 17/18 patients. In a complementary experiment, circulating AChR-specific B cells were identified in a CBA-positive SNMG patient. These findings corroborate the clinical need for clustered AChR CBA testing when evaluating SNMG patients.2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Jun2025-04-04T20:20:07.665Z2025-02-19T02:17:31.268ZS-EPMC91069153536655910.1016/j.jneuroim.2022.577850