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D-penicillamine-associated myasthenia gravis: Immunological and electrophysiological studies
Journal article   Peer reviewed

D-penicillamine-associated myasthenia gravis: Immunological and electrophysiological studies

P.R.W. Fawcett, S.M. McLachlan, L.V.B. Nicholson, Z. Argov and F.L. Mastaglia
Muscle & Nerve, Vol.5(4), pp.328-334
1982
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Abstract

Immunological and electrophysiological features were investigated in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who developed myasthenic symptoms after 10 months of treatment with D-penicillamine (D-pen). After an initial rise, acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies gradually fell from 24.4 nmole α-bungarotoxin bound/liter to 1.8 nmole/liter following withdrawal of the drug, and this was associated with clinical and electrophysiological improvement. Immunoglobulin synthesis by peripheral blood lymphocytes cultured with pokeweed mitogen and D-pen was significantly increased at D-pen concentrations of 10–100 μg/ml in 2 patients with D-pen associated myasthenia gravis and 1 out of 3 normal individuals. Furthermore, lymphocytes from 1 myasthenic patient synthesized detactable AChR antibodies in vitro, and the amount of receptor antibody produced was increased in the presence of the drug. This effect was most marked at a concentration of 10 μg/ml which is thought to approximate the concentration in vivo. Our results confirm the in vivo findings of others that D-pen may have different effects on immunoglobulin production in different individuals and may also enhance the synthesis of at least 1 autoantibody, the AChR antibody.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Citation topics
1 Clinical & Life Sciences
1.203 Neuromuscular Disorders
1.203.1325 Thymectomy in Myasthenia
Web Of Science research areas
Clinical Neurology
Neurosciences
ESI research areas
Neuroscience & Behavior
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