Antibody to acetylcholine receptor in myasthenia gravis

Abstract

Elevated amounts of antibodies specific for acetylcholine receptors were detected in 87 percent of sera from 71 patients with myasthenia gravis but not in 175 sera from individuals without myasthenia gravis, including those with other neurologic or autoimmune disease. Antireceptor antibodies were not directed at the acetylcholine binding site of the receptor. Presence or titer of antibody did not appear to correlate with age, sex, steroid therapy, or duration of symptoms. Myasthenia gravis patients with only ocular symptoms had lower antibody titers, while the majority of titers in myasthenia gravis patients with thymoma exceeded the median titer of the myasthenia gravis group as a whole. Assay of antireceptor antibody should prove a useful test in the diagnosis of myasthenia gravis.

Acetylcholine receptor antibodies in myasthenia gravis are associated with greater risk of diabetes and thyroid disease

“…Nearly three decades ago, Lindstrom et al (18) found that AChRAbs were not detectable in 13% of MG patients, leading to the suggestion of existence of antibodies to another protein, or another form of disease. Since then, the term SNMG has become a potential misnomer, as evidence for other antibodies or immunological changes has been found within at least some patients with SNMG (10).…”

“…However, there remain many questions and controversies about the pathophysiology of the dysfunctional neuromuscular junction in MuSK‐positive patients (20, 21). Also uncertain is the exact prevalence of SNMG within the entire population of MG, which ranges from 5% (22) to greater than 30% (10). In our study, SNMG patients composed 34% of the patient population, a higher than expected prevalence.…”

Autoimmunity against the ryanodine receptor in myasthenia gravis

“…1988 ). Such antibodies are detected in the sera of 85% of patients with generalized MG ( Lindstrom et al . 1976 ).…”

Neurologic indications for therapeutic plasma exchange: 2011 update

“…MG is an autoimmune disease caused by autoantibodies directed against antigens located on the postsynaptic muscle membrane [65]. Between 80 and 90% of myasthenics have circulating antibodies to the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) [69, 70]. Another 7% of patients with generalized MG have antibodies to muscle‐specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) rather than to AChR [71].…”