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Ryanodine receptor gene expression thymomas
Author(s) -
Kusner Linda L.,
Mygland Åse,
Kaminski Henry J.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4598(199810)21:10<1299::aid-mus8>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - thymoma , ryanodine receptor , myasthenia gravis , skeletal muscle , sensitization , medicine , endocrinology , antibody , antigen , immune system , biology , receptor , immunology
Ryanodine receptor (RyR) antibodies are present in sera of myasthenics with thymoma, and their titer correlates with morbidity and mortality. We investigated whether skeletal muscle RyR expression in thymic tissues could be the source of immune sensitization to the RyR. Skeletal muscle RyR gene expression was investigated using reverse transcription followed by semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction. Hyperplastic and normal thymuses expressed significant levels of RyR, but RyR gene transcripts was statistically less likely in thymomas than in hyperplastic and normal thymus ( P < 0.05). The presence of RyR transcripts in thymomas did not correlate with myasthenic manifestations, thymic pathology, or serum RyR antibodies. We conclude that the skeletal muscle RyR in thymoma is not the inciting antigen for immune sensitization to RyR epitopes in thymoma‐associated myasthenia gravis. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 21:1299–1303, 1998.