Acetylcholine receptor antibody-producing cells in thymus and lymph nodes in myasthenia gravis |
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| Authors: | Y Fujii Y Monden J Hashimoto K Nakahara Y Kawashima |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Experimental Therapeutics Laboratory, Hanson Institute and Sansom Institute, School of Pharmacy and Medical Science, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia;2. Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia;3. South Australia Pathology, Adelaide, SA, Australia;4. Discipline of Medicine, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia;5. Robinson Research Institute, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia;1. Neurosciences Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, via Gramsci 14, Parma 43126, Italy;2. Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience/Rehabilitation, Azienda Ospedaliera-Universitaria S. Anna, via Moro 8, Cona, Ferrara 44124, Italy;3. Department of Neurosciences, Ospedale Civile, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria, via Giardini 1355, Baggiovara, Modena 41126, Italy;4. Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neurosciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy |
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| Abstract: | Eleven patients with myasthenia gravis (5 with thymoma) were studied and spontaneous production of antibody to acetylcholine receptor (AChR) in vitro was found by thymus cells in 10 (and in all 5 with thymoma) and by lymph node cells in 8 (and in 3 with thymoma). The rate of AChR antibody production by thymus cells was greater than that by lymph node cells (10.7 +/- 11.6 and 1.4 +/- 1.5 fmol/10(6) cells/week, respectively, mean +/- SD, P less than 0.05 by paired t test), although the B-cell population was always smaller in the thymus than in the lymph nodes (9.5 +/- 9.4 and 31 +/- 12.7%, P less than 0.001), suggesting the principal role of the thymus in AChR antibody production. It is suggested that lymph nodes can be one of the main sites of AChR antibody production in myasthenia gravis but the antibody-producing cells may originate in the thymus. |
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