Regulatory and Pathogenic Mechanisms in Human Autoimmune Myasthenia Gravis

• Published in: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Vol. 1132; no. 1; pp. 135 - 142
• Main Authors: Le Panse, Rozen, Cizeron-Clairac, Géraldine, Cuvelier, Mélinée, Truffault, Frédérique, Bismuth, Jacky, Nancy, Patrice, De Rosbo, Nicole Kerlero, Berrih-Aknin, Sonia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.06.2008; Wiley
• Subjects: Adrenal Cortex Hormones - therapeutic use; Age Distribution; anti-AChR antibodies; B cells; chemokines; Chemokines - immunology; Chemokines - metabolism; fas Receptor - metabolism; Female; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; germinal center; Humans; Life Sciences; Male; Myasthenia Gravis - complications; Myasthenia Gravis - immunology; Myasthenia Gravis - metabolism; Myasthenia Gravis - pathology; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; T cells; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory - immunology; thymic hyperplasia; thymic remodeling; Thymus Hyperplasia - complications; Thymus Hyperplasia - epidemiology; Thymus Hyperplasia - pathology; Treg

The thymus is frequently hyperplastic in young female myasthenia gravis (MG) patients presenting with anti‐acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies. This thymic pathology is characterized by the presence of ectopic germinal centers (GCs) containing B cells involved at least partially in the producti...