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Antigen‐specific therapy of experimental myasthenia gravis with acetylcholine receptor‐gelonin conjugates in vivo
Author(s) -
Urbatsch Ina L.,
Sterz Raimund K. M.,
Peper Klaus,
Trommer Wolfgang E.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
european journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1521-4141
pISSN - 0014-2980
DOI - 10.1002/eji.1830230332
Subject(s) - myasthenia gravis , acetylcholine receptor , in vivo , immunology , immune system , immunization , toxin , antigen , receptor , biology , pharmacology , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry
Abstract Rats suffering from experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) induced by previous immunization with foreign acetylcholine receptor (AChR) were treated with AChR‐toxin conjugates using the plant toxin gelonin. This led to a marked improvement of clinical symptoms as well as a significant increase in functional AChR compared to untreated rats with EAMG as determined 6 to 10 weeks later. No therapeutic effect was observed after treatment with gelonin or AChR alone. The immune response to irrelevant control antigens was not altered by this treatment.