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

R Hohlfeld; K V Toyka; L L Miner; S L Walgrave; B M Conti-Tronconi

doi:10.1172/JCI113369

Published March 1, 1988 - More info

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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.

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

R Hohlfeld, K V Toyka, L L Miner, S L Walgrave, and B M Conti-Tronconi

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

R Hohlfeld, K V Toyka, L L Miner, S L Walgrave, and B M Conti-Tronconi

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