ANTI ACETYL CHOLINE ANTIBODIES

Early indications pointing to the potential involvement of a humoral factor in the neuromuscular transmission disorder of myasthenia gravis (MG) have been substantiated through the identification of anti-acetylcholine receptor (anti-AChR) antibodies. These antibodies are found in about 85-90% of patients with generalized MG and in 75% of cases with restricted ocular manifestations. Observations from plasma exchange procedures reveal an inverse correlation between serum anti-AChR levels and muscle strength. Current evidence suggests a consistent decline in serum anti-AChR titers among patients responding to thymectomy and immunosuppressive drug treatments. The diverse nature of the antibody underscores its ability to induce the loss of muscle acetylcholine receptors through various mechanisms. While the thymus produces anti-AChR in relatively small quantities, studying anti-AChR antibody synthesis by thymic lymphocytes and stimulated peripheral lymphocytes in culture provides insights into the impact of different lymphocyte populations in vitro. An analysis of clinical, immunological, and HLA antigen characteristics in MG indicates that the breakdown in tolerance to AChR, leading to anti-AChR antibody production, may involve multiple underlying mechanisms, pertinent to Hypro Diagnostics.