Antibodies to acetylcholine receptors in Myasthenia Gravis. In vitro production by peripheral blood monocytes and thymectomy

Abstracts

927

within Darameters changes ciinical and within IY serological parameters occurred simultaneously. No predictive with regard to the final effect of thvmectomy could be VZilUe one the after attributed to changes in a-AChR within Year operation. General

Antibodies to acetylcholine receptors in Myasthenia Gravis. In vitro production by peripheral blood monocytes and thymectomy. J.B.M.KUkS Dep. oi Neurology, University Hospital, Oostersingel 59, 9713 EZ Groningen, the Netherlands phonenumeber: 050-612400 J.B.M.Kuks, fl,J.G.H.Oosterhuis, P.C.Limburg, Groningen, the Netherlands a-AChR with Serumlevels of fluctuate the course of the Improvement after thymectomy usually is concomitant disease. with a lowering of serum a-AChR. Within half a after YeaT vitro production of a-AChR decreases in most thymectomy in This occurs in patients. independently of changes patients who did not and clinical course. In serumlevels after improve after thymectomy in vitro production increased an initial decline. thymectomy Production of total 1gG also decreases after but these changes are less prominent. The hypothesis that thymectomy affects immunoregulation by a and of autosensitized Tdepletion of autoreactive B-ceils cells is supported bv these findings.

TIB? ROLE IN

OF

AChR

PATIEXTS

IN

LYkIPlIOCYTE

?IITH IfYASTIIlXU

Pl;OLIFERATION

GRAVIS

Dracana Lavrnib, Departmerlt of IJeurology, School of ;Zedicine University of I!elgmde 11000 i>elGrade,Dr Subotida 6 Yugoslavia 11-6S4-355 Lavrnii: D,, Damjanovid If., Apostolski and GospaviC: J, (Belgrade, Yxqoslavia) The

presence

of AC&R

(l.BL) supports in

r;lodifying

effect PKA

of

the

different

PCL

cultivated

in an

of were the

for

3 days.

appropriate

suring

the

incorporation

lnajority

of

The

higher patients

medium

receptor

of ACh

by of

this

with ACh,

Xh,

both

(EPxI

patients

with

NG,

may

enriched

PBL

with

ixvolved the PI) on

was

inve-

and

PHA

or

of

PBL

was

with

10%

fetal

l:ere percalf

was

assessed

by

mea-

PBL

response

to

I,IIA

FIG than

pretreated

be

this study -6 -4 10 9 '0

controls ACh

Isr?!;ovid I<,

lyqhocytes

Tllc cultivation

proliferative response of 3 I-I-thymidine. The in

In

(IO-',

I:G and

by

A,,

blood

to rllitogens,

patients

presence

in

the

in

pretreated

serum)

significantly

that

response

Vida!:ovi&

peripheral

concentrations PBL

formed

was

on

presuqltion

lymphocyte

stimulation

stigated.

molecules

S,,

in with

controls, ACh

showed

In