Acupuncture combined with western medication for ocular myasthenia gravis: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical efficacy between acupuncture combined with western medication and simple western medication for ocular myasthenia gravis (OMG), and to explore its possible mechanism.@*METHODS@#A total of 60 patients of ocular myasthenia gravis were randomized into an acupuncture combined with western medication group (30 cases, 1 case dropped off) and a western medication group (30 cases, 2 cases dropped off). Oral pyridostigmine bromide tablet and prednisone acetate tablet were given in the western medication group. On the basis of the treatment in the western medication group, Tongdu Tiaoqi acupuncture (acupuncture for unblocking the governor vessel and regulating qi ) was applied at Baihui (GV 20), Fengfu (GV 16), Hegu (LI 4), Zusanli (ST 36), etc. in the acupuncture combined with western medication group, once a day, 6 days a week. The treatment was given 8 weeks in both groups. Before and after treatment, the OMG clinical absolute score was observed, electrophysiological indexes of orbicularis oculi (value of mean jitter, percentage of jitter >55 μs and percentage of blocks) were measured by single-fiber electromyography (SFEMG), serum levels of acetylcholine receptor antibody (AChR-Ab), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) were detected by ELISA method.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, the OMG clinical absolute scores, values of mean jitter, percentages of jitter >55 μs, percentages of blocks and serum levels of AChR-Ab, IFN-γ and IL-4 were decreased compared before treatment in both groups (P<0.05), and those in the acupuncture combined with western medication group were lower than the western medication group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Acupuncture combined with western medication can effectively improve ptosis, palpebra superior fatigability, eye movement disorder and neuromuscular junction dysfunction in patients with ocular myasthenia gravis, the therapeutic effect is superior to simple western medication. Its mechanism may be related to down-regulating serum levels of AChR-Ab, IFN-γ and IL-4 and promoting the recovery of orbicularis oculi function.

The expression of immune regulatory factors in thymoma with myasthenia gravis / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

Objective To investigate the expression of Aire,Foxp3,AchR and other immune factors in human thymoma tissue and plasma and explore their role in myasthenia gravis with thymoma.Methods T lymphocyte subsets,immunoglobulin and other immune factors in plasma were compared,and the Expression of Aire,Foxp3 and AchR were examined in thymoma by reverse transcriptional polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining,and the results were analyzed by SPSS statistics software.Results The ratio of CD4 + to CD8 + T lymphocyte was much higher in plasma,while the expressions of Aire,Foxp3 and AchR at mRNA and protein level were much lower in thymoma patients with myasthenia gravis,and related to Ossermann subtype,WHO subgroup and Masaoka stage.The differences were statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion The ratio of CD4 + to CD8 + T lymphocyte and the abnormal expressions of Aire and Foxp3could used as an indicator of immune state in thymoma patient with myasthenia gravis and play an important role in the development of thymoma with myasthenia gravis,but the mechanism is indefinite.

Research on immune mechanism of Shengxian decoction in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis rats / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To investigate the immune mechanism of Shengxian decoction in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis(EAMG) rats. Methods:Lewis rats were immunized with the rat sequence 97-116 of the AChRαsubunit(Rα97-116) in CFA, 25 of which were successful. They were randomly divided into 5 groups:EAMG model group,prednisone group(5. 4 mg/kg),Shengxian decoction low, medium, high dose groups ( dosage 2. 6 g/kg, 5. 2 g/kg, 10. 4 g/kg ) . Clinical symptoms, weight, and the decrement percentage of RNS(5 Hz) were evaluated,and ELISA were adopted to determine the titers of AChR Ab,TGF-β,IFN-γ,IL-2,IL-4 and IL-17 in serum. Results:After molding,the percentage of decrement of RNS in each group noticeably increased by more than 10% in comparison with that in the CFA control group ( P<0. 01 or P<0. 05 ) . At the same time, they were also subjected to progressive decreasing weight and typical myasthenia symptoms,showing the successful molding. With medication,the decrement percentage of RNS of rats in the groups with low,medium and high dose of Shengxian decoction were all on obvious decline with alleviated weight decrease (P<0. 01),testifying to the symptom improvement. Compared with the CFA control group,the groups with low,medium and high dose of Shengxian decoction were coupled with decreasing AChR Ab content(P<0. 05),rising TGF-βlevel and reducing IFN-γ,IL-2,IL-4 and IL-17 level(P<0. 01 or P<0. 05). Conclusion: Shengxian decoction can turn the decrement percentage of RNS around,improve the progressive weight decrease in EAMG rats and increase the weight gains. By up-regulating the TGF-βlevel,lowering IFN-γ,IL-2,IL-4 and IL-17 level,preventing B cells from producing AChR Ab and reducing the content of AChR Ab in serum,it will soothe the damage of NMJ to AChR and cure EAMG.

CCR2-64I and CCR5Delta32 Polymorphisms in Korean Patients with Myasthenia Gravis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chemokines participate in the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses by interacting with their receptors, which are primarily expressed on immune and inflammatory cells such as B- and T-lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells. Chemokines and their receptors are therefore considered to mediate inflammation and tissue damage in autoimmune disorders. Chemokine receptor (CCR) genotypes were recently identified, and the importance of their genetic polymorphisms in some autoimmune and infectious disorders has been demonstrated. To define the roles of the polymorphism of the CCR2 gene at codon 64 (CCR2-64I) and the 32-bp deletion in the coding region of CCR5 (CCR5Delta32) in Korean patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), we compared these genotypes in MG cases and healthy controls and investigated the clinical features associated with these genotypes. METHODS: One hundred and fifteen healthy controls (51 men and 64 women) and 109 MG patients (44 men and 65 women) from three University hospitals were included. We examined each patient for clinical features using electrophysiology tests, laboratory tests, and thymic pathology. The CCR2-64I and CCR5Delta32 polymorphisms were determined by the PCR-RFLP method. RESULTS: We detected no difference in the frequencies of CCR2-64I polymorphism between MG patients and healthy controls. All of the MG patients and the healthy controls were homozygous for the wild-type CCR5 genotype. The results of electrophysiological tests and thymic pathologies were not influenced by the type of CCR2-64I polymorphism. However, the anti-acetylcholine-receptor (AChR) antibody titer was higher in the CCR2 G/G genotype (13.34+/-12.71 nmol/L) than in the CCR2 A/A genotype (5.83+/-2.56 nmol/L). CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence of an increased risk for MG associated with the CCR2-64I and CCR5Delta32 polymorphisms. However, the increased anti-AChR antibody titer in the patients with the CCR2 G/G genotype suggests that the CCR2 gene play a role in the pathophysiology of MG.

CCR2-64I and CCR5Delta32 Polymorphisms in Korean Patients with Myasthenia Gravis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chemokines participate in the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses by interacting with their receptors, which are primarily expressed on immune and inflammatory cells such as B- and T-lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells. Chemokines and their receptors are therefore considered to mediate inflammation and tissue damage in autoimmune disorders. Chemokine receptor (CCR) genotypes were recently identified, and the importance of their genetic polymorphisms in some autoimmune and infectious disorders has been demonstrated. To define the roles of the polymorphism of the CCR2 gene at codon 64 (CCR2-64I) and the 32-bp deletion in the coding region of CCR5 (CCR5Delta32) in Korean patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), we compared these genotypes in MG cases and healthy controls and investigated the clinical features associated with these genotypes. METHODS: One hundred and fifteen healthy controls (51 men and 64 women) and 109 MG patients (44 men and 65 women) from three University hospitals were included. We examined each patient for clinical features using electrophysiology tests, laboratory tests, and thymic pathology. The CCR2-64I and CCR5Delta32 polymorphisms were determined by the PCR-RFLP method. RESULTS: We detected no difference in the frequencies of CCR2-64I polymorphism between MG patients and healthy controls. All of the MG patients and the healthy controls were homozygous for the wild-type CCR5 genotype. The results of electrophysiological tests and thymic pathologies were not influenced by the type of CCR2-64I polymorphism. However, the anti-acetylcholine-receptor (AChR) antibody titer was higher in the CCR2 G/G genotype (13.34+/-12.71 nmol/L) than in the CCR2 A/A genotype (5.83+/-2.56 nmol/L). CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence of an increased risk for MG associated with the CCR2-64I and CCR5Delta32 polymorphisms. However, the increased anti-AChR antibody titer in the patients with the CCR2 G/G genotype suggests that the CCR2 gene play a role in the pathophysiology of MG.

Preparation and characterization of anti-human AchR monoclonal antibodies made from rat bone marrow / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To prepare anti-AchR monoclonal antibodies from rat bone marrow.Methods:The extracellular region of human AchR ?1 subunit was expressed in E.coli and purified using a Ni-NTA column.Then the protein was refolded by dialyzing.Lewis rats were immunized with purified AchR ?1 subunit and B cells from bone marrow and spleen were fused with myeloma cells to generate monoclonal antibodies.Results:Human AchR ?1 subunit was successfully expressed in E.coli.Rats immunized with the refolded protein were shown symptoms of Myasthenia gravis.Hybridoma cells were produced using B cells from rat bone marrow and spleen.Conclusion:Bone marrow cells can be immortalized using hybridoma method,which can be used for further study of Myasthenia gravis.

Kinetic study of nicotinic acetycholine rceptor / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

Aim The kinetics of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (N-AChR) was stadied. MethodsThe saturation experiments of Torpedo electric organ N-AChR were taken with125I-?-BuTX. The results were calculated by Scatfit program. Experiments were thenperformed to study the kinetics of dissociation of ?-BuTX and nicotine from N-AChR,respectively. When their binding reached saturation, an excess of 1000 times ?-BuTX ornicotine was added. The saturation binding properties of the N-AChR extracted fromleg muscles of the 13th day chick embroys and optic lobes of the 20th day chick em-broys were studied. The results were calculated by Scatfit program. The othe experi-ments were taken to observe the competition between mcotine and 125I-?-BuTX forbinding with Torpedo, optic lobe and skeletal muscle of the chick N-AChRs. ResultsThe saturation experiments of Torpedo electric organ N-AChR resulted in a Scatchardplot of hyperbola which responded to the model of two kinds of receptor with on eli-gand.The difference of and B max between high affinity binding site and low affnitybineing site was significant. The dissaciation experiment showed that the fast dissocia-tion rate of tow ligands was 500 times more than that of the slow dissociation rate. Thisresult suggested that there may be two subtype N-AChRs.The saturation bindingproperties of N-AChR of leg muscles and optic lobe of the chick embroys revealed aScatchard plot of two kinds of N-AChR indicating a single type of site. The bindingaffinity of receptor of optic lobe was 100 times more than that of muscles. In competi-tion for Torpedo receptor by nicotine and 125I-?-BuTX, the values of IC50 were different:which suggested that two kinds of receptor sites were existent. In competition ofNicotine and 125I-?-BuTX for optic lobe and skeletal muscles of the chick N-AChR, thevalue IC50 of skeletal muscles N-AChR was 7. 7 times higher than that of optic lobe. Itindicated that two kinds of N-AChR subtype existed in the optic lobe and in theskeletal muscles of chick respectively. Conclusion N-AChR of Torpedo electric organcontains two kinds of subtype receptors. N-AChR of optic lobe of chick embroys is onesubtype receptor, and N-AChR of skeletal muscles of chick embroy is another subtypereceptor.

Comparison of Usefulness of Laboratory Tests in Diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis / 영남의대학술지

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical usefulness of Tensilon test, repetitive nerve stimulation test(RNST), single fiber EMG(SFEMG) test and acetylcholine receptor antibody(AchR Ab) assay for making diagnosis of myasthenia gravis(MG). METHOD: These tests were performed in 21 MG patients which were classified into 11 ocular, 5 mild generalized, 4 moderate generalized, and 1 chronic severe MG. RESULT: The overall positivity of Tensilon test, SFEMG and AchR Ab was 95%, 87%, and 76% respectively. The overall positivity of RNST was 67%; 38% on flexor carpi ulnaris, 43% on adductor digiti quinti and 62% on orbicularis oculi muscles. The positivity of each test was higher in generalized MG group than in ocular MG group. But we could observe the statistically significant difference only in the RNST(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Tensilon test showed the highest positivity in all MG groups. So we would like to recommend the Tensilon test for the diagnosis of MG at first, followed by RNST and AchR Ab assay, and SFEMG would be indicated to MG group which showed relatively low postivity in other tests.