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  • Title: T-cell epitopes on the human acetylcholine receptor alpha-subunit residues 10-84 in myasthenia gravis.
    Author: Ahlberg R, Yi Q, Eng H, Pirskanen R, Lefvert AK.
    Journal: Scand J Immunol; 1992 Sep; 36(3):435-42. PubMed ID: 1381519.
    Abstract:
    In myasthenia gravis the production of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies is modulated by acetylcholine receptor-specific T cells. Most B- and T-cell epitopes are located on the alpha-subunit of the receptor. In order to map the fine specificity of the antigen-specific T cells in myasthenia gravis, T-cell stimulation in response to 70 hexapeptides was studied in 24 patients and 24 healthy individuals. The hexapeptides overlapped with one amino acid and represented residues 10-84 of the NH2-terminal part of the alpha-subunit of the receptor. The IFN-gamma secretion from single T cells was used to detect T-cell stimulation. A significant difference in the T-cell response to several of the peptides was found between patients and healthy controls. The majority of the hexapeptides induced T-cell stimulation in at least one of the patients. Peptide-induced T-cell stimulation was evident in all but one of the patients. The results indicate that different epitopes and multiple T-cell clones are involved in the T-cell recognition of the acetylcholine receptor.
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