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- Title
Monoclonal antibody analysis of blood T-cell subsets in myasthenia gravis.
- Authors
Skolinik, Paul R.; Lisak, Robert P.; Zweiman, Burton
- Abstract
Analysis of peripheral blood T-cell subsets and B-cells in patients with myasthenia gravis was performed using monoclonal antibodies and antibody against surface immunoglobulins (SIg) in an immunofluorescent technique. We found a modest but significant decrease in percentages of OKT3- and OKT8-positive cells (thought to represent total T-cells and T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells, respectively) in myasthenics as a group. The percentage of OKT3-positive cells was significantly decreased in patients with late-onset disease (>35 years old), while the percentage of OKT8-positive cells was significantly reduced in those with early-onset myasthenia (<35 years old). Both thymectomized and nonthymectomized patients exhibited a decreased percentages of SIg-positive cells in myasthenics and controls. Our results suggest that only modest imbalances of circulating immunoregulatory lymphocytes occur in myasthenia gravis; however, it is conceivable that the small differences observed in this study may reflect pathogenetically important reductions in a functionally distinct lymphocyte subpopulation.
- Publication
Annals of Neurology, 1982, Vol 11, Issue 2, p170
- ISSN
0364-5134
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/ana.410110210