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- Title
Non-neuronal cholinergic activity is potentiated in myasthenia gravis.
- Authors
Bin Han; Chao Zhang; Shoufeng Liu; Yiping Xia; Hao Sun; Zhongying Gong; Simard, Alain R.; Qiang Liu; Junwei Hao; Han, Bin; Zhang, Chao; Liu, Shoufeng; Xia, Yiping; Sun, Hao; Gong, Zhongying; Liu, Qiang; Hao, Junwei
- Abstract
<bold>Background: </bold>Non-neuronal acetylcholine (ACh) restricts autoimmune responses and attenuates inflammation by cholinergic anti-inflammation pathway. To date, the implication of ACh in myasthenia gravis (MG) remained unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the possible relationship between ACh levels, anti-muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) antibody titers, main clinical features and outcomes of MG patients.<bold>Methods: </bold>We successfully measured ACh levels in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 125 MG patients and 50 matched healthy controls by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). We assessed the quantitative MG (QMG) scores for each patient and titered anti-MuSK antibody.<bold>Results: </bold>We found that PBMC-derived ACh level was significantly higher in MG patients, especially in patients of class III, IV-V, compared with that in controls (0.142 ± 0.108 vs. 0.075 ± 0.014 ng/million cells, p = 0.0003) according to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America clinical classification. Importantly, we also found that ACh levels were positively correlated with QMG scores (r = 0.83, p < 0.0001) and anti-MuSK Ab levels (r = 0.85, p < 0.0001).<bold>Conclusions: </bold>Our demonstration of elevated ACh levels in PBMCs of MG patients foreshadows potential new avenues for MG research and treatment.
- Subjects
CHOLINERGIC receptors; MYASTHENIA gravis treatment; ACETYLCHOLINE; PROTEIN-tyrosine kinases; MONONUCLEAR leukocytes; LIQUID chromatography-mass spectrometry; AUTOANTIBODIES; MASS spectrometry; MYASTHENIA gravis; TRANSFERASES
- Publication
BMC Neurology, 2017, Vol 17, p1
- ISSN
1471-2377
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1186/s12883-016-0772-3