Complement-dependent disruption of motor endplate is detected in anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody-positive myasthenia gravis (MG). We measured serum AChR α1 subunit protein levels, which may be associated with neuromuscular damage, in 55 patients with MG (47 were seropositive and 8 were negative) and in 20 controls. Serum AChR α1 subunit protein concentrations were higher in patients with anti-AChR antibody-positive MG than those in controls (P = .04), were negatively correlated with MG activities of daily living score (P = .01), and tended to be higher in ocular MG than in generalized MG. AChR α1 subunit protein elevation may be related to seropositive MG pathogenesis, especially in the ocular type.
Keywords: Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody; Biomarker; Myasthenia gravis; Neuromuscular junction damage.
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