Immune regulation in myasthenia gravis: Evidence for an increased suppressor T‐cell population

Abstract

The production of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies in myasthenia gravis represe-hyphen;ts a peresents a persistent and unexplained break in self-tolerance. The studies reported here demonstrate an altered regulatory T-cell population with an increase in the percentage of circulation T-suppress cells as defined by two independently developed murine Monoclonal antibody markers. Leu 2a- and OKT8a-positive cells were significantly increased within the T-cell population in myasthenia gravis (25.0 ± 6.4% versus 20.7 ± 2.9% and 34.9 ± 7.0% versus 26.0 ± 3.2%, respectively) compard to an age- and sex-equivalent group. In addition, the circulating total T-cell population was reduced in myasthenia gravis. Patients with symptomatically uncontrolled disease (with or without immunosuppression) demonstrated significantly altered ratios of helper to suppressor T-cells, while patients whose myasthenia symptoms were controlled did not differ from normal subjects.