Biomaterial Database

FK506 prevents induction of rat experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis. 1997

H Yoshikawa, and K Iwasa, and K Satoh, and M Takamori

Department of Neurology, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Ishikawa, Japan.

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an organ-specific autoimmune disease attacking nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChR) of the neuromuscular junction. Autoantibody production is regulated by autoimmune helper T cells that are specific to AChR. Therefore the suppression of autoimmune T cell activity could reduce myasthenic symptoms. Amongst immunomodulatory therapies aimed at T cells, we studied the therapeutic effect of FK506 as a T cell-specific immunosuppressive agent. Rats in which experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) was induced by immunization with synthetic peptide of human AChR alpha-subunit residues 125-147 (H alpha 125-147) were treated daily with FK506 (1 mg/kg). FK506 prevented the reduction in amplitude of miniature endplate potential (MEPP) which was induced by H alpha 125-147 immunization. FK506 also suppressed anti-H alpha 125-147 and anti-rat AChR antibody production accompanied by a decrease in the antigen-specific T cell response against H alpha 125-147. These findings indicate that FK506 prevents induction of rat EAMG evoked by immunizing T cells against H alpha 125-147.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007166	Immunosuppressive Agents	Agents that suppress immune function by one of several mechanisms of action. Classical cytotoxic immunosuppressants act by inhibiting DNA synthesis. Others may act through activation of T-CELLS or by inhibiting the activation of HELPER CELLS. While immunosuppression has been brought about in the past primarily to prevent rejection of transplanted organs, new applications involving mediation of the effects of INTERLEUKINS and other CYTOKINES are emerging.	Immunosuppressant,Immunosuppressive Agent,Immunosuppressants,Agent, Immunosuppressive,Agents, Immunosuppressive
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
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
D010446	Peptide Fragments	Partial proteins formed by partial hydrolysis of complete proteins or generated through PROTEIN ENGINEERING techniques.	Peptide Fragment,Fragment, Peptide,Fragments, Peptide
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
D011978	Receptors, Nicotinic	One of the two major classes of cholinergic receptors. Nicotinic receptors were originally distinguished by their preference for NICOTINE over MUSCARINE. They are generally divided into muscle-type and neuronal-type (previously ganglionic) based on pharmacology, and subunit composition of the receptors.	Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors,Nicotinic Receptors,Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor,Nicotinic Receptor,Acetylcholine Receptor, Nicotinic,Acetylcholine Receptors, Nicotinic,Receptor, Nicotinic,Receptor, Nicotinic Acetylcholine,Receptors, Nicotinic Acetylcholine
D002455	Cell Division	The fission of a CELL. It includes CYTOKINESIS, when the CYTOPLASM of a cell is divided, and CELL NUCLEUS DIVISION.	M Phase,Cell Division Phase,Cell Divisions,Division Phase, Cell,Division, Cell,Divisions, Cell,M Phases,Phase, Cell Division,Phase, M,Phases, M
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
D004594	Electrophysiology	The study of the generation and behavior of electrical charges in living organisms particularly the nervous system and the effects of electricity on living organisms.
D005260	Female		Females