Abstract
EXPERIMENTAL autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) has been induced in rabbits1–4 guinea pigs5,6 rats4,6 and monkeys7 by injection of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) isolated from electric fish. The experimental disease, together with the demonstration of humoral8–10 and cellular11 immune responses to AChR in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), verifies hypotheses12,13 about the immunopharmacological block of AChR in MG. An experimental model disease in mice is needed for studies of the genetic aspects of MG and the role of the thymus as a specific antigen target, and as a source for immunocompetent helper and suppressor cells. We describe here the induction of EAMG in several inbred strains of mice and demonstrate different susceptibility to the disease in strains representing different haplotypes of the major histocompatibility complex (H-2). We describe some humoral and cellular aspects of the disease and demonstrate that in a susceptible mouse strain both humoral and cellular immune response to self-AChR are elicited. Finally we show that AChR behaves as a thymus-dependent antigen.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Patrick, J., and Lindstrom, J., Science, 180, 871–872 (1973).
Heilbronn, E., Mattsson, C., Stalberg, E., and Hilton-Brown, P., J. neurol. Sci., 24, 59–64 (1975).
Aharonov, A., Kalderon, N., Silman, I., and Fuchs, S., Immunochemistry, 12, 765–771 (1975).
Green, D. P. L., Miledi, R., and Vincent, A., Proc. R. Soc., B 189, 57–68 (1975).
Tarrab-Hazdai, R., Aharonov, A., Abramsky, O., Yaar, I., and Fuchs, S., J. exp. Med., 142, 785–789 (1975).
Lennon, V. A., Lindstrom, J. M., and Seybold, M. E., J. exp. Med., 141, 1365–1375 (1975).
Tarrab-Hazdai, R., Aharonov, A., Silman, I., Fuchs, S., and Abramsky, O., Nature, 256, 128–130 (1975).
Almon, R. R., Andrew, C. G., and Appel, S. H., Science, 186, 55–57 (1974).
Aharonov, A., Abramsky, O., Tarrab-Hazdai, R., and Fuchs, S., Lancet, ii, 340–346 (1975).
Bender, A. N., Ringel, S. P., Engel, W. K., Daniels, M. P., and Vogel, Z., Lancet, i, 607–609 (1975).
Abramsky, O., Aharonov, A., Webb, C., and Fuchs, S., Clin. exp. Immun., 19, 11–16 (1975).
Simpson, J. A., Scot. med. J., 5, 419–436 (1960).
Lennon, V. A., and Carnegie, P. R., Lancet, i, 630–633 (1971).
Osserman, K. E., and Jenkins, G., Mount Sinai J. Med., 38, 497–537 (1971).
Oppenheim, J. J., Dougherty, S., Chan, S. P., and Baker, J., in Laboratory Diagnosis of Immunological Disorders (edit. by Vyas, G. N., Stiles, D. P., and Brecher, G.), 87–109 (Grune and Stratton, New York, 1971).
Lindstrom, J., and Lennon, V. A., Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 274, 254–274 (1976).
McDevitt, H. O., and Tyan, M. L., J. exp. Med., 128, 1–11 (1968).
Lennon, V. A., Lindstrom, J. M., and Seybold, M. F., Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci., 274, 283–299 (1976).
Aharonov, A., Tarrab-Hazdai, R., Abramsky, O., and Fuchs, S., Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 72, 1456–1459 (1975).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
FUCHS, S., NEVO, D., TARRAB-HAZDAI, R. et al. Strain differences in the autoimmune response of mice to acetylcholine receptors. Nature 263, 329–330 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/263329a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/263329a0
- Springer Nature Limited
This article is cited by
-
Review on Toll-Like Receptor Activation in Myasthenia Gravis: Application to the Development of New Experimental Models
Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology (2017)
-
Myasthenia gravis as a prototype autoimmune receptor disease
Immunologic Research (1997)
-
Myasthenia gravis: An autoimmune response against the acetylcholine receptor
Immunologic Research (1993)