Immunological Relationship Between Acetylcholine Receptor and Thymus: a Possible Significance in Myasthenia Gravis

Overview

Journal Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A

Specialty Science

Date 1975 Apr 1

PMID 1055418

Citations 10

Authors

A Aharonov

R Tarrab-Hazdai

O Abramsky

S Fuchs

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

A defined immunological cross-reaction was observed between acetylcholine receptor fraction from the electric eel, Electrophorus electricus, and two calf thymus fractions. The cross-reaction was demonstrated on the cellular level by means of the lymphocyte transformation technique, and on the humoral level, by means of the microcomplement fixation assay. In the human disease myasthenia gravis both acetylcholine receptor at the neuromuscular junction and the thymus are affected, probably by an autoimmune mechanism. The immunological cross-reaction between acetylcholine receptor and thymic components may explain the association between endplate and thymus disorders in myasthenia gravis.

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