Monoclonal anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies with differing capacities to induce experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis. 1985

C M Gomez, and D P Richman

To study the characteristics of the individual autoantibodies that are important in the development of an autoimmune disease, we produced 26 anti-acetylcholine receptor (anti-AChR) monoclonal antibodies (mcAb) and studied the experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) induced by a number of them. The mcAb reactive with mammalian acetylcholine receptor (M-AChR) exhibited a wide range of dissociation rates from in situ M-AChR of motor endplates. All anti-M-AChR mcAb were capable of producing at least some degree of histopathologic change at the endplate indicative of EAMG, but their potencies varied markedly. One mcAb induced, even at large doses, only minor macrophage invasion without clinical or electromyographic effect. Others induced severe EAMG, and even death, at 1/200th the dose. Low potency was associated with high rate of mcAb dissociation from antigen. High potency was associated with intermediate avidity, not high avidity. These observations suggest that in EAMG, and perhaps in myasthenia gravis, the characteristics of the individual antibodies making up the autoimmune response can determine the severity of the autoimmune disease.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007074 Immunoglobulin G The major immunoglobulin isotype class in normal human serum. There are several isotype subclasses of IgG, for example, IgG1, IgG2A, and IgG2B. Gamma Globulin, 7S,IgG,IgG Antibody,Allerglobuline,IgG(T),IgG1,IgG2,IgG2A,IgG2B,IgG3,IgG4,Immunoglobulin GT,Polyglobin,7S Gamma Globulin,Antibody, IgG,GT, Immunoglobulin
D009157 Myasthenia Gravis A disorder of neuromuscular transmission characterized by fatigable weakness of cranial and skeletal muscles with elevated titers of ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTORS or muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) autoantibodies. Clinical manifestations may include ocular muscle weakness (fluctuating, asymmetric, external ophthalmoplegia; diplopia; ptosis; and weakness of eye closure) and extraocular fatigable weakness of facial, bulbar, respiratory, and proximal limb muscles. The disease may remain limited to the ocular muscles (ocular myasthenia). THYMOMA is commonly associated with this condition. Anti-MuSK Myasthenia Gravis,MuSK MG,MuSK Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle-Specific Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle-Specific Tyrosine Kinase Antibody Positive Myasthenia Gravis,Myasthenia Gravis, Generalized,Myasthenia Gravis, Ocular,Anti MuSK Myasthenia Gravis,Generalized Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle Specific Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Myasthenia Gravis,Muscle Specific Tyrosine Kinase Antibody Positive Myasthenia Gravis,Myasthenia Gravis, Anti-MuSK,Myasthenia Gravis, MuSK,Ocular Myasthenia Gravis
D011917 Rats, Inbred Lew An inbred strain of rat that is used in BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH. Rats, Inbred Lewis,Rats, Lew,Inbred Lew Rat,Inbred Lew Rats,Inbred Lewis Rats,Lew Rat,Lew Rat, Inbred,Lew Rats,Lew Rats, Inbred,Lewis Rats, Inbred,Rat, Inbred Lew,Rat, Lew
D011950 Receptors, Cholinergic Cell surface proteins that bind acetylcholine with high affinity and trigger intracellular changes influencing the behavior of cells. Cholinergic receptors are divided into two major classes, muscarinic and nicotinic, based originally on their affinity for nicotine and muscarine. Each group is further subdivided based on pharmacology, location, mode of action, and/or molecular biology. ACh Receptor,Acetylcholine Receptor,Acetylcholine Receptors,Cholinergic Receptor,Cholinergic Receptors,Cholinoceptive Sites,Cholinoceptor,Cholinoceptors,Receptors, Acetylcholine,ACh Receptors,Receptors, ACh,Receptor, ACh,Receptor, Acetylcholine,Receptor, Cholinergic,Sites, Cholinoceptive
D004195 Disease Models, Animal Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases. Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D005260 Female Females
D006386 Hemagglutination Tests Sensitive tests to measure certain antigens, antibodies, or viruses, using their ability to agglutinate certain erythrocytes. (From Stedman, 26th ed) Hemagglutination Test,Test, Hemagglutination,Tests, Hemagglutination
D000208 Acute Disease Disease having a short and relatively severe course. Acute Diseases,Disease, Acute,Diseases, Acute
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000911 Antibodies, Monoclonal Antibodies produced by a single clone of cells. Monoclonal Antibodies,Monoclonal Antibody,Antibody, Monoclonal

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