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Immune regulation in myasthenia gravis: Evidence for an increased suppressor T‐cell population
Author(s) -
Miller Andrea E.,
Hudson James,
Tindall Richard S. A.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410120405
Subject(s) - myasthenia gravis , immunology , immune system , suppressor , medicine , population , environmental health , cancer
The production of anti‐acetylcholine receptor antibodies in myasthenia gravis represe‐hyphen;ts a peresents a persistent and unexplained break in self‐tolerance. The studies reported here demonstrate an altered regulatory T‐cell population with an increase in the percentage of circulation T‐suppress cells as defined by two independently developed murine Monoclonal antibody markers. Leu 2a‐ and OKT8a‐positive cells were significantly increased within the T‐cell population in myasthenia gravis (25.0 ± 6.4% versus 20.7 ± 2.9% and 34.9 ± 7.0% versus 26.0 ± 3.2%, respectively) compard to an age‐ and sex‐equivalent group. In addition, the circulating total T‐cell population was reduced in myasthenia gravis. Patients with symptomatically uncontrolled disease (with or without immunosuppression) demonstrated significantly altered ratios of helper to suppressor T‐cells, while patients whose myasthenia symptoms were controlled did not differ from normal subjects.