MHC Class II Presentation of Human Acetylcholine Receptor inMyasthenia gravis: Binding of Synthetic Gamma Subunit Sequences to DR Molecules

Mapping myasthenia gravis–associated T cell epitopes on human acetylcholine receptors in HLA transgenic mice

“…However, MHC class II restriction of this peptide-induced lymphocyte response was not studied. Other studies (44,45) demonstrated that the AChR sequence regions immunodominant for sensitization of CD4 + cells in MG patients could associate with a variety of purified DR…”

“…Those studies demonstrated that the sequence α320-337 was recognized by several MG patients (31,44,45), and that this sequence could bind effectively to three of the four DR molecules tested (DR2, DR4, and DR7) (44). T cell lines were generated against the full-length recombinant H-AChR α subunit (41); peptides 75-115 and 138-167 were restricted by DR4, and peptide 309-344 was restricted by DR3 or DR52a (41).…”

T Cell Recognition of the Acetylcholine Receptor in Myasthenia Gravisa

“…We obtained similar results in another study that investigated the binding to the same purified DR molecules of overlapping synthetic peptides spanning the human γ subunit sequence. 69 All peptides recognized by CD4 + cells bound 40,45 to the relevant DR molecule, and the UES γ75‐94 and γ321‐340 bound to most or all of the DR molecules studied. Some γ subunit peptides not recognized by CD4 cells of MG patients bound well to one or more DR molecules.…”

Acetylcholine Receptor Epitopes in Ocular Myastheniaa

“…Tzartos et al 49 found that a small number of myasthenic sera reacted to regions of the γ‐subunit, although this did not correlate with ocular symptoms. Myasthenics also have T cells that are activated by epitopes on the γ‐subunit, and T cell activation correlates with ocular manifestations (see reference 50 and the paper by Conti‐Fine elsewhere in this volume).…”