Amphipathic segment of the nicotinic receptor alpha subunit contains epitopes recognized by T lymphocytes in myasthenia gravis.

Article Details

Citation

Hohlfeld R, Toyka KV, Miner LL, Walgrave SL, Conti-Tronconi BM

Amphipathic segment of the nicotinic receptor alpha subunit contains epitopes recognized by T lymphocytes in myasthenia gravis.

J Clin Invest. 1988 Mar;81(3):657-60.

PubMed ID
2449458 [ View in PubMed
]
Abstract

Autoimmune helper T lymphocytes were selected from the blood of two myasthenic patients of different HLA-DR type, using acetylcholine receptor (AChR) from Torpedo californica. These polyclonal T cell lines were tested for reactivity with three synthetic peptides corresponding to the NH2-terminal region of the human AChR alpha subunit. This segment is a good candidate for T cell epitopes since it has a propensity to form an amphipathic alpha helix. The peptides elicited 10-30% of the response induced by native Torpedo AChR. Different peptides were recognized by the autoreactive T cells of the two patients. These results suggest that the NH2-terminal region of the AChR alpha chain contains T cell-stimulating epitopes, and that the T cell autoimmune response in myasthenia gravis, like the B cell response, is heterogeneous.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Polypeptides
NameUniProt ID
Acetylcholine receptor subunit alphaP02708Details