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Acetylcholine Receptor Antibodies in Myasthenia Gravis: Use of a Qualitative Assay for Diagnostic Purposes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2015

Joel Oger ,
Robin Kaufman  and
Kenneth Berry
Joel Oger*
Affiliation:
Departments of Medicine (Neurology), and the Department of Pathology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver
Robin Kaufman
Affiliation:
Departments of Medicine (Neurology), and the Department of Pathology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver
Kenneth Berry
Affiliation:
Departments of Medicine (Neurology), and the Department of Pathology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver
*
Division of Neurology, University Hospital. 2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 2B5
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Abstract:

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We have modified the techniques of Lindstrom and of Tindall to measure serum acetylcholine receptor antibody using human antigen bound to 125I-alpha Bungarotoxin. By using 10 ä1 of serum and precipitating antigen-antibody complexes with an excess of staph A, we found that only one out of 43 patients with clinically diagnosed active generalized Myasthenia Gravis had no antibodies. In pooling these results with the results of tests done for diagnostic purposes we found positive results in 54/55 generalized active MG, 8/21 MG in remission, 16/37 ocular MG and 0/55 healthy controls. Two out of 38 non MG were also positive and their clinical diagnosis of botulism and penicillamine treated rheumatoid arthritis have been confirmed by a one year follow-up. Most of these sera were also tested for reactivity with fetal calf AchR. Six out of 49 samples positive with the human receptor were negative with calf receptor. We conclude that our technique is extremely useful for the diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis and that fetal calf antigen cannot replace human antigen in the assay.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , August 1987 , pp. 297 - 302
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Neurological Sciences Federation 1987

References

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