Autoantibodies in d-penicillamine-induced myasthenia gravis: A comparison with idiopathic myasthenia and rheumatoid arthritis
The distribution of autoantibodies was studied in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated by d-penicillamine and who developed myasthenia gravis (MG). The anti-human acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies were specifically associated with clinical symptoms of MG without any difference in t...
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Published in | Clinical immunology and immunopathology Vol. 58; no. 3; pp. 318 - 330 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
San Diego, CA
Elsevier Inc
01.03.1991
New York, NY Academic Press Boston |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | The distribution of autoantibodies was studied in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated by
d-penicillamine and who developed myasthenia gravis (MG). The anti-human acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies were specifically associated with clinical symptoms of MG without any difference in the pattern of specificities in idiopathic (id-MG) or in induced MG (DPen-MG). Conversely, anti-nuclear antibodies were elevated in DPen-MG sera compared to id-MG sera (
P < 0.001) but were also compared to patients with RA treated by
d-penicillamine (or thiopronine) and who did not develop MG. Anti-denatured DNA antibodies were enhanced in sera from treated patients, whether they had presented or not a MG disease. Anti-histone antibodies were associated with RA. These observations suggest that the immunological imbalance in RA patients, can be increased by a drug treatment which may trigger the appearance of a second autoimmune disease such as MG, where anti-AChR antibodies are associated with anti-nuclear antibodies. |
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ISSN: | 0090-1229 1090-2341 |
DOI: | 10.1016/0090-1229(91)90123-R |