Frontiers in Neurology (May 2024)

IL-6 receptor antibody treatment improves muscle weakness in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis mouse model

  • Shota Miyake,
  • Kenichi Serizawa,
  • Shinichi Onishi,
  • Yoshichika Katsura,
  • Masayuki Baba,
  • Mitsue Kurasawa,
  • Haruna Tomizawa-Shinohara,
  • Keigo Yorozu,
  • Yoshihiro Matsumoto,
  • Mariko Noguchi-Sasaki

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1356300
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15

Abstract

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Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by muscle weakness and fatigue. It is caused by pathological autoantibodies against components expressed at neuromuscular junctions, such as acetylcholine receptor (AChR). Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of MG, and IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) antibody treatment may provide a novel therapeutic option. In this study, we investigated the effects of IL-6R antibody treatment in an experimental autoimmune MG (EAMG) mouse model. We demonstrated that IL-6R antibody treatment improved muscle weakness, reduced IgG deposition at neuromuscular junctions, and the levels of AChR autoantibodies in serum. In addition, follicular helper T cells and Th17, plasma cells in lymph nodes were lower in IL-6R antibody treated mice. Our findings suggest that IL-6R blockade may be a novel and effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of MG.

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