HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Yang, H. Articles by Christadoss, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Yang, H. Articles by Christadoss, P.

IL-1 Receptor Antagonist-Mediated Therapeutic Effect in Murine Myasthenia Gravis Is Associated with Suppressed Serum Proinflammatory Cytokines, C3, and Anti-Acetylcholine Receptor IgG1¹

Huan Yang^2,*, Erdem Tüzün^*, Dhivyaa Alagappan^*, Xiang Yu, Benjamin G. Scott^*, Alexander Ischenko and Premkumar Christadoss^3,*

^* Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555; and Institute of Highly Pure Biopreparations, St. Petersburg, Russia

In myasthenia gravis (MG), TNF and IL-1 polymorphisms and high serum levels of these proinflammatory cytokines have been observed. Likewise, TNF and IL-1 are critical for the activation of acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-specific T and B cells and for the development of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) induced by AChR immunization. We tested the therapeutic effect of human recombinant IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) in C57BL/6 mice with EAMG. Multiple daily injections of 0.01 mg of IL-1ra administered for 2 wk following two AChR immunizations decreased the incidence and severity of clinical EAMG. Furthermore, IL-1ra treatment of mice with ongoing clinical EAMG reduced the clinical symptoms of disease. The IL-1ra-mediated suppression of clinical disease was associated with suppressed serum IFN-, TNF-, IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, C3, and anti-AChR IgG1 without influencing total serum IgG. Therefore, IL-1ra could be used as a nonsteroidal drug for the treatment of MG.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				P. CHRISTADOSS, E. TUZUN, J. LI, S. S. SAINI, and H. YANG Classical Complement Pathway in Experimental Autoimmune Myasthenia Gravis Pathogenesis Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., June 1, 2008; 1132(1): 210 - 219. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]