Abstract
Lymph node T cells were obtained from rats immunized with purified acetylcholine receptor (AChR) or isolated receptor subunits (α, β, γ, or σ). The immune T cells were then analyzed for their ability to respond to native AChR or AChR subunit challenge in an in vitro proliferation assay, as well as to perform as helper T cells (TH) in an in vitro anti-AChR antibody response. Results indicated a significant degree of subunit-to-subunit crossreactivity at the T cell level. Moreover, helper function could be generated by stimulation of T cells immune to any of the AChR subunits, although α-immune TH cells appeared to provide a quantifiably increased level of specific antibody production by AChR-immune B cells in vitro when compared to antibody produced by the same B cells in conjunction when β-, γ-, or σ-immune TH cells.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 75-87 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Journal of Neuroimmunology |
Volume | 13 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 1986 |
Keywords
- Acetylcholine receptor
- Autoimmunity
- Myasthenia gravis
- T cells
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology and Allergy
- Immunology
- Neurology
- Clinical Neurology