2022
Reemergence of pathogenic, autoantibody-producing B cell clones in myasthenia gravis following B cell depletion therapy
Fichtner ML, Hoehn KB, Ford EE, Mane-Damas M, Oh S, Waters P, Payne AS, Smith ML, Watson CT, Losen M, Martinez-Martinez P, Nowak RJ, Kleinstein SH, O’Connor K. Reemergence of pathogenic, autoantibody-producing B cell clones in myasthenia gravis following B cell depletion therapy. Acta Neuropathologica Communications 2022, 10: 154. PMID: 36307868, PMCID: PMC9617453, DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01454-0.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsB cell depletion therapyB cell clonesMuSK-MG patientsMyasthenia gravisB cellsMG patientsDepletion therapyCell clonesAutoantibody-producing B cellsMuscle-specific tyrosine kinaseComplete stable remissionB cell receptor repertoireCell receptor repertoireValuable candidate biomarkersB cell receptorMG relapseClinical relapseStable remissionDisease relapseAutoimmune disordersRelapsePatientsAcetylcholine receptorsCandidate biomarkersReceptor repertoire
2020
Thymus-derived B cell clones persist in the circulation after thymectomy in myasthenia gravis
Jiang R, Hoehn KB, Lee CS, Pham MC, Homer RJ, Detterbeck FC, Aban I, Jacobson L, Vincent A, Nowak RJ, Kaminski HJ, Kleinstein SH, O'Connor KC. Thymus-derived B cell clones persist in the circulation after thymectomy in myasthenia gravis. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2020, 117: 30649-30660. PMID: 33199596, PMCID: PMC7720237, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2007206117.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdolescentAdultAutoantibodiesBiomarkersB-LymphocytesClonal EvolutionClonal Selection, Antigen-MediatedDisease SusceptibilityFemaleHumansLymphocyte CountMaleMiddle AgedModels, BiologicalMyasthenia GravisRadioimmunoassayReceptors, CholinergicThymectomyThymus GlandV(D)J RecombinationYoung AdultConceptsB cell clonesMyasthenia gravisB cell repertoireB cellsCell clonesPlasma cellsCell repertoireAdditional immunosuppressive treatmentDiminished clinical responseThymic lymphofollicular hyperplasiaComplete stable remissionMajority of patientsAntigen-experienced B cellsRandomized clinical trialsClinical symptom measuresAChR autoantibodiesImmunosuppressive treatmentSteroid doseAutoantibody titersMG thymusClinical responseStable remissionClinical scoresAutoimmune diseasesClinical trials