2020
Autoimmune Pathology in Myasthenia Gravis Disease Subtypes Is Governed by Divergent Mechanisms of Immunopathology
Fichtner ML, Jiang R, Bourke A, Nowak RJ, O’Connor K. Autoimmune Pathology in Myasthenia Gravis Disease Subtypes Is Governed by Divergent Mechanisms of Immunopathology. Frontiers In Immunology 2020, 11: 776. PMID: 32547535, PMCID: PMC7274207, DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00776.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsLipoprotein receptor-related protein 4Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathyMuSK myasthenia gravisMyasthenia gravisDisease subtypesPathogenic autoantibodiesNeuromyelitis opticaPemphigus vulgarisFab-arm exchangeNeuromuscular junctionAChR myasthenia gravisDistinct immune mechanismsInflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathyAutoimmune myasthenia gravisContribution of complementMuscle-specific kinaseNicotinic acetylcholine receptorsSubtype of diseaseDemyelinating polyneuropathyMG subtypesMG patientsAutoantibody productionClinical benefitAutoimmune diseasesAutoimmune pathology
2019
Early B cell tolerance defects in neuromyelitis optica favour anti-AQP4 autoantibody production
Cotzomi E, Stathopoulos P, Lee CS, Ritchie AM, Soltys JN, Delmotte FR, Oe T, Sng J, Jiang R, K A, Vander Heiden JA, Kleinstein SH, Levy M, Bennett JL, Meffre E, O’Connor K. Early B cell tolerance defects in neuromyelitis optica favour anti-AQP4 autoantibody production. Brain 2019, 142: 1598-1615. PMID: 31056665, PMCID: PMC6536857, DOI: 10.1093/brain/awz106.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsNeuromyelitis optica spectrum disorderB cell tolerance checkpointsNMOSD patientsNaïve B cellsAQP4 autoantibodiesTolerance checkpointsHealthy donorsB cellsEarly B cell tolerance checkpointsPeripheral B cell tolerance checkpointsMature naïve B cellsB cell tolerance defectsSeropositive NMOSD patientsOptica spectrum disorderRare autoimmune disorderNaïve B-cell compartmentB cell compartmentB cell populationsAquaporin-4 water channelsPathogenic autoantibodiesAutoantibody productionOptic nerveAutoimmune disordersSevere inflammationSpinal cord
2017
Autoantibody-producing plasmablasts after B cell depletion identified in muscle-specific kinase myasthenia gravis
Stathopoulos P, Kumar A, Nowak RJ, O’Connor K. Autoantibody-producing plasmablasts after B cell depletion identified in muscle-specific kinase myasthenia gravis. JCI Insight 2017, 2: e94263. PMID: 28878127, PMCID: PMC5621905, DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.94263.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAnimalsAutoantibodiesB-LymphocytesCohort StudiesFemaleHumansImmunologic FactorsLymphocyte DepletionMaleMiceMiddle AgedMyasthenia GravisReceptor Protein-Tyrosine KinasesReceptors, CholinergicRecurrenceRemission InductionRituximabTumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Superfamily, Member 7ConceptsB-cell depletionMuSK-MG patientsMyasthenia gravisCell depletionMG patientsAutoantibody productionDisease relapseB cellsB-cell-mediated autoimmune disordersMuscle-specific kinase myasthenia gravisAntigen-driven affinity maturationCell-mediated autoimmune disordersMuscle-specific tyrosine kinaseAChR myasthenia gravisAutoantibody-producing plasmablastsMuSK myasthenia gravisRituximab-induced remissionSustained clinical improvementB cell compartmentMuSK autoantibodiesClinical improvementPathogenic autoantibodiesSuch relapsesSerum autoantibodiesClinical features