Antigen-specific immunoadsorption of MuSK autoantibodies as a treatment of MuSK-induced experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease affecting the neuromuscular junction. Approximately 9% of MG patients have autoantibodies targeting the muscle specific kinase (MuSK), and are challenging therapeutically, since they often present with more severe symptoms. A useful therapy is plasmapheresis, but it is highly non-specific. Antigen-specific immunoadsorption would only remove the pathogenic autoantibodies, minimizing the possible side effects and maximizing the benefit. We used rats with human MuSK-induced experimental autoimmune MG to perform antigen-specific immunoadsorptions, and found it very effective, resulting in a dramatic autoantibody titer decrease, while immunoadsorbed, but not mock-treated, animals showed an significant improvement of their clinical symptoms. Overall, the procedure was efficient, supporting its application for MG treatment.

Keywords: Antibodies; Autoantibodies; Experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis; Immunoadsorption; Muscle specific kinase; Myasthenia gravis; Therapy.