Abstract
In vitro T cell proliferative response to an alternative splicing variant of acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit (AChR alpha) with the P3A exon-encoded region was examined in peripheral blood samples from 28 myasthenia gravis (MG) patients and 14 healthy donors using recombinant fragments and synthetic peptides. T cells responsive to the P3A region-specific sequences were detected in five MG patients, all of whom were late-onset disease with thymoma, but in none of healthy donors. These autoreactive T cells may be involved in the pathogenic process in a subset of MG patients.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Aged
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CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
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Female
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Humans
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Lymphocyte Activation / genetics
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Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Myasthenia Gravis / genetics
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Myasthenia Gravis / immunology*
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Peptide Fragments / genetics
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Peptide Fragments / immunology
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Protein Isoforms / biosynthesis
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Protein Isoforms / genetics
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Protein Isoforms / immunology
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Receptors, Cholinergic / biosynthesis*
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Receptors, Cholinergic / genetics
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Receptors, Cholinergic / immunology*
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / immunology
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins / pharmacology
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T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology
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T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
Substances
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Peptide Fragments
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Protein Isoforms
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Receptors, Cholinergic
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Recombinant Fusion Proteins