The Main Immunogenic Region (Mir) of the Nicotinic Acetylcholine-Receptor and the Anti-Mir Antibodies
| Autor: | Tzartos, S. J., Cung, M. T., Demange, P., Loutrari, H., Mamalaki, A., Marraud, M., Papadouli, I., Sakarellos, C., Tsikaris, V. |
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| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 1991 |
| Předmět: |
alpha-subunit
myasthenia gravis epitope medulloblastoma cell-line ligand-binding antigenic modulation monoclonal-antibodies bungarotoxin binding-site torpedo-californica antibody competition synthetic peptide main immunogenic region high-affinity binding synthetic peptides monoclonal antibodies nicotinic acetylcholine receptor autoimmune myasthenia-gravis |
| Popis: | Myasthenia gravis (MG) is caused by autoantibodies against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) of the neuromuscular junction. The anti-AChR antibodies are heterogeneous. However, a small region on the extracellular part of the AChR-alpha-subunit, called the main immunogenic region (MIR), seems to be the major target of the anti-AChR antibodies, but not of the specific T-cells, in experimental animals and possibly in MG patients. The major loop of the overlapping epitopes for all testable anti-MIR monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) was localized within residues 67-76 (WNPADYGGIK for Torpedo and WNPDDYGGVK for human AChR) of the alpha-subunit. The N-terminal half of alpha-67-76 is the most critical, Asn68 and Asp71 being indispensable for binding. Yet anti-MIR antibodies are functionally and structurally quite heterogeneous. Anti-MIR MAbs do not affect channel gating, but they are very potent in mediating acceleration of AChR degradation (antigenic modulation) in cell cultures and in transferring experimental MG in animals. Fab fragments of anti-MIR MAbs bound to the AChR prevent the majority of the MG patients' antibodies from binding to and causing loss of the AChR. Whether this inhibition means that most MG antibodies bind on the same small region or is a result of broad steric/allosteric effects is under current investigation. Molecular Neurobiology |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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