Prominent T-Cell Responses against the Acetylcholine Receptor ε Subunit in Myasthenia Gravis

Abstract EN

The human acetylcholine receptor (AChR) is well characterized as the target antigen in myasthenia gravis (MG).

Pathogenic antibody responses against the AChR alpha-chain have been investigated extensively and are of diagnostic and prognostic value.

However, less is known on the pathogenetic relevance of T-cell responses against epitopes of the different AChR chains (alpha, epsilon, gamma).

Using an enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay we measured T-cell responses against recombinant fragments and synthetic peptides of the α and the ε subunits of the human AChR in MG patients (n=15) and in healthy donors (HD; n=9).

In MG, highest T-cell responses were noted against recombinantly expressed Epsilon 1-221.

Among the synthetic peptides Epsilon 201-215 showed the most prominent T-cell response and represented the peptide with the most remarkable difference between MG and HD.

Taken together, prominent T-cell responses against the ε subunit of the human AChR indicate an important role in the pathogenesis of MG.