The clinical need for clustered AChR cell-based assay testing of seronegative MG.

Abstract

Trial eligibility in myasthenia gravis (MG) remains largely dependent on a positive autoantibody serostatus. This significantly hinders seronegative MG (SNMG) patients from receiving potentially beneficial new treatments. In a subset of SNMG patients, acetylcholine receptor (AChR) autoantibodies are detectable by a clustered AChR cell-based assay (CBA). Of 99 SNMG patients from two academic U.S. centers, 18 (18.2%) tested positive by this assay. Autoantibody positivity was further validated in 17/18 patients. In a complementary experiment, circulating AChR-specific B cells were identified in a CBA-positive SNMG patient. These findings corroborate the clinical need for clustered AChR CBA testing when evaluating SNMG patients.

• Authors: Gianvito Masi, Yingkai Li, Tabitha Karatz, Minh C Pham, Seneca R Oxendine, Richard J Nowak, Jeffrey T Guptill, Kevin C O'Connor
• Journal: Journal of neuroimmunology (J Neuroimmunol) Vol. 367 Pg. 577850 (06 15 2022) ISSN: 1872-8421 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 35366559 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Autoantibodies
• Receptors, Cholinergic

Topics

• Autoantibodies
• Biological Assay
• Humans
• Myasthenia Gravis (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Receptors, Cholinergic