Antibodies to cytomegalovirus are elevated in myasthenia gravis

Abstract

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease characterised by muscular degeneration and autoantibodies to components of the neuromuscular junction. Development of MG is thought to occur from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, and viral infections have been suggested to be involved in the onset of MG through molecular mimicry and/or chronic inflammation. In this work, we analysed sera from MG patients for antibodies to members of the human herpes virus family and other selected pathogens to determine the virus antibody status in the sera of these patients. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blotting and line blotting analyses using MG serum pools showed an association between elevated IgG antibody titers to cytomegalovirus (CMV) and MG. These results were replicated using individual serum samples, and showed significant differences in CMV antibody titer between MG patients and healthy controls. Other viruses did not show the same tendency.

Keywords

• Cytomegalovirus
• Epstein-Barr virus, measles virus, mumps virus, myasthenia gravis
• rubella virus, virus-specific antibodies
• Abbreviations: ACHR, acetylcholine receptor
• BCIP, 5‑bromo‑4‑chloro‑3-indolyl-phosphate
• CMV, cytomegalovirus