Abstract
CD4(+) T cells specific for the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) are assumed to play an important role in pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis (MG). A large and diverse number of potential T cell epitopes have been reported for different experimental setups aiming at the identification of disease-relevant T cells in MG. Investigating the T cell response to the epsilon subunit of human AChR, we explore complementary in vitro and in vivo approaches (PBMC from MG patients and mice transgenic for HLA-DR3 and human CD4) to address the possibilities and limitations of different strategies for elucidating natural autoimmune T cell epitopes.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Apolipoprotein B-100 / pharmacology
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CD4 Antigens / genetics
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Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
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Epitope Mapping*
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Epitopes / physiology*
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HLA-DR3 Antigen / genetics
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Humans
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Mice
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Mice, Transgenic
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Myasthenia Gravis / blood
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Myasthenia Gravis / pathology*
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Peptide Fragments / immunology
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Protein Binding / drug effects
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Receptors, Nicotinic / chemistry*
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Receptors, Nicotinic / immunology
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Receptors, Nicotinic / metabolism
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T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / immunology*
Substances
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Apolipoprotein B-100
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CD4 Antigens
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CHRNE protein, human
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Epitopes
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HLA-DR3 Antigen
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Peptide Fragments
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Receptors, Nicotinic