Proteomic analysis of rat tibialis anterior muscles at different stages of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis

J Neuroimmunol. 2013 Aug 15;261(1-2):141-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2013.05.008. Epub 2013 Jun 18.

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease in which autoantibodies, most commonly directed against the acetylcholine receptor (AChR), impair neuromuscular transmission and cause muscle weakness. In this study, we utilized two-dimensional difference in-gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) to analyze the muscle's proteomic profile at different stages of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG). We identified twenty-two differentially expressed proteins, mainly related to metabolic and stress-response pathways. Interestingly, these identified proteins have also been associated with other contraction-impairing muscle pathologies (e.g. inclusion body myositis), suggesting a similar response of the muscle to such conditions.

Keywords: 2D-DIGE; Autoimmunity; Muscle proteomics; Myasthenia gravis.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Disease Progression*
  • Female
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology*
  • Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental / genetics
  • Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental / metabolism*
  • Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental / pathology*
  • Proteomics / methods*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Lew