Myasthenia Gravis and Related Disorders: Experimental and Clinical Aspects: Proceedings of a New York Academy of Sciences Conference, April 12-15, 1992(v. 681 Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences)

This work on the neurosciences presents an update on normal physiological mechanisms at the neuromuscular junction, normal immune responses as these relate to auto-immunity, and pathogenic mechanisms responsible for myasthenia (the prototype human auto-immune disease), along with diagnostic and therapy information. This volume, sixth in a series published by the New York Academy of Sciences, emphasises the relevance of recent research on the thymus, T cells and MHC restriction, and transmembrane glycoprotein receptors, especially the acetyl choline receptor and the voltage-dependent calcium channel. Discussion of the parallel auto-immune disease, Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, is also included.

Table of Contents:
Part I Current Concepts of Immune Mechanisms and of Autoimmunity: An Immunogenic Self-Peptide for T-Cells in Mice with Experimental Myasthenia; The Thymus and T-Cell Tolerance; Positive Selection of How the T-Cell Repertoire Is Affected by Mutations in the Peptide-Binding Site of MHC Class I Molecules; Mechanisms of Helper T-Cell Regulation of B-Cell Activity; Steps in the Generation of Autoantibodies; T-Cell Receptor Genes in Autoimmunity. Part II The Thymus is Myasthenia Gravis: The Thymus in Myasthenia Gravis; The Pathological Basis of Thymoma-Associated Myasthenia Gravis; Transplantation of Myasthenia Gravis Thymus to SCID Mice; Molecular Analysis of Intrathymic Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor; Nicotinic Neuronal Acetylcholine Receptor a-3 Subunit Transcription in Normal and Myasthenic Thymus; High IL-6 Gene Expression and Production by Cultured Human Thymic Epithelial Cells from Patients with Myasthenia Gravis; In Situ Production of Interleukins in Hyperplastic Thymus from Myasthenia Gravis Patients; MYF-4 Does not Mediate AChR Receptor Subunit mRNA Expression in Thymic Tissues; Myasthenia Gravis-Associated Thymic Epithelial Tumours Express Neurofilaments and Are Associated with Antiaxonal Autoimmunity; Thymus Histology and Acetylcholine Receptor Antibodies in Generalised Myasthenia Gravis. Part III The Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor - Structural and Functional Aspects: Imaging Ligand Binding Sites on the Torpedo Acetylcholine Receptor; Molecular Evolution of the Binding Site of the Acetylcholine Receptor; Physostigmine and Neuromuscular Transmission; Degradation of Acetylcholine Receptors at Vertebrate Neuromuscular Junctions; cDNA and Genomic Clones Encoding the Human Muscle Acetylcholine Receptor; Differential Recognition by T-Cells of the P3A+ and P3A- Isoforms of the Human Acetylcholine Receptor Alpha-Subunit; Abnormal Immunoregulation Involving the IL-2/IL-2 Receptor Complex in Myasthenia Gravis; VH Gene Family Utilisation of Antiacetylcholine Receptor Antibodies in Experimental Autoimmune Myasthenia Gravis; Stimulation of Specific T-Cells by Human AChR Adsorbed to Immunomagnetic Particles; T-Cell Receptors Expression in Murine Myasthenia Gravis; EAMG Induced in Rabbits by Immunisation Against Peptides Representing Human AChR a138-199; A Novel Therapy for Myasthenia Gravis by Reducing the Endosytosis of Acetylcholine Receptors; The hu-SCID Myasthenic Mouse - A New Tool for the Investigation of Seronegative Myasthenia Gravis; Tolerance to AChR Induced by AChR-Coupled Synergeneic Cells - Clonal Energy?; Acetylcholine Receptor-Specific T-Cells Are Present in the Normal Immune Repertoire - A Study with Recombinant Polypeptides of the Human Acetylcholine Receptor a-Subunit; T-Cell Receptor Gene Usage of Acetylcholine Receptor-Specific T-Helper Cells; Production of Interferon Gama and Interleukin-2 by Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Patients with Myasthenia Gravis and Other Autoimmune Diseases. (part contents).