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Mantegazza R, Saccà F, Antonini G, Bonifati DM, Evoli A, Habetswallner F, Liguori R, Pegoraro E, Rodolico C, Schenone A, Sgarzi M, Pappagallo G. Therapeutic challenges and unmet needs in the management of myasthenia gravis: an Italian expert opinion. Neurol Sci 2024:10.1007/s10072-024-07577-7. [PMID: 38967883 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-024-07577-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare, autoimmune, neurological disorder. Most MG patients have autoantibodies against acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). Some have autoantibodies against muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) or lipoprotein-receptor-related protein 4 (LRP4), and some are seronegative. Standard of care, which includes anti-cholinesterase drugs, thymectomy, corticosteroids (CS), and off-label use of non-steroidal immunosuppressive drugs (NSISTs), is bounded by potential side effects and limited efficacy in refractory generalized MG (gMG) patients. This highlights the need for new therapeutic approaches for MG. Eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits the complement system, has been recently approved in Italy for refractory gMG. A panel of 11 experts met to discuss unmet therapeutic needs in the acute and chronic phases of the disease, as well as the standard of care for refractory patients. Survival was emphasized as an acute phase outcome. In the chronic phase, persistent remission and early recognition of exacerbations to prevent myasthenic crisis and respiratory failure were considered crucial. Refractory patients require treatments with fast onset of action, improved tolerability, and the ability to slow disease progression and increase life expectancy. The Panel agreed that eculizumab would presumably meet the therapeutic needs of many refractory gMG patients. The panel concluded that the unmet needs of current standard of care treatments for gMG are significant. Evaluating new therapeutic options accurately is essential to find the best balance between efficacy and tolerability for each patient. Collecting real-world data on novel molecules in routine clinical practice is necessary to address unmet needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato Mantegazza
- Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Foundation Carlo Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy.
| | - Francesco Saccà
- NSRO Department, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Antonini
- Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs (NESMOS), Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Domenico Marco Bonifati
- Neurology Unit, Cerebro-Cardiovascular Department, Ca' Foncello Hospital Treviso, Piazzale Ospedale 1, 31100, Treviso, Italy
| | - Amelia Evoli
- Neuroscience Department, Facolta Di Medicina E Chirurgia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Neurology Institute, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Rocco Liguori
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences (DIBINEM), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, UOC Clinica Neurologica, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Carmelo Rodolico
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Angelo Schenone
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetic and Maternal and Infantile Sciences (DINOGMI), University and IRCCS San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| | - Manlio Sgarzi
- Department of Neurology, Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Piazza OMS 1, 24127, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Pappagallo
- School of Clinical Methodology, IRCCS "Sacred Heart - Don Calabria", Negrar Di Valpolicella, Italy
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Truffault F, Auger L, Dragin N, Vilquin JT, Fadel E, Thomas de Montpreville V, Mansuet-Lupo A, Regnard JF, Alifano M, Sharshar T, Behin A, Eymard B, Bolgert F, Demeret S, Berrih-Aknin S, Le Panse R. Comparison of juvenile and adult myasthenia gravis in a French cohort with focus on thymic histology. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13955. [PMID: 38886398 PMCID: PMC11183198 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-63162-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease characterized by muscle fatigability due to acetylcholine receptor (AChR) autoantibodies. To better characterize juvenile MG (JMG), we analyzed 85 pre- and 132 post-pubescent JMG (with a cutoff age of 13) compared to 721 adult MG patients under 40 years old using a French database. Clinical data, anti-AChR antibody titers, thymectomy, and thymic histology were analyzed. The proportion of females was higher in each subgroup. No significant difference in the anti-AChR titers was observed. Interestingly, the proportion of AChR+ MG patients was notably lower among adult MG patients aged between 30 and 40 years, at 69.7%, compared to over 82.4% in the other subgroups. Thymic histological data were examined in patients who underwent thymectomy during the year of MG onset. Notably, in pre-JMG, the percentage of thymectomized patients was significantly lower (32.9% compared to more than 42.5% in other subgroups), and the delay to thymectomy was twice as long. We found a positive correlation between anti-AChR antibodies and germinal center grade across patient categories. Additionally, only females, particularly post-JMG patients, exhibited the highest rates of lymphofollicular hyperplasia (95% of cases) and germinal center grade. These findings reveal distinct patterns in JMG patients, particularly regarding thymic follicular hyperplasia, which appears to be exacerbated in females after puberty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédérique Truffault
- Center of Research in Myology, Institute of Myology, INSERM, Sorbonne University, 105, Boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Ludivine Auger
- Center of Research in Myology, Institute of Myology, INSERM, Sorbonne University, 105, Boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Nadine Dragin
- Center of Research in Myology, Institute of Myology, INSERM, Sorbonne University, 105, Boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Thomas Vilquin
- Center of Research in Myology, Institute of Myology, INSERM, Sorbonne University, 105, Boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Elie Fadel
- Marie Lannelongue Hospital, Paris Saclay University, Le Plessis-Robinson, France
| | | | - Audrey Mansuet-Lupo
- Department of Pathology, Cochin University Hospital Group, AP-HP, Paris-Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - Jean-François Regnard
- Department of Pathology, Cochin University Hospital Group, AP-HP, Paris-Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - Marco Alifano
- Department of Pathology, Cochin University Hospital Group, AP-HP, Paris-Descartes University, Paris, France
| | - Tarek Sharshar
- Anesthesia and Intensive Care Department, GHU Paris Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Pole Neuro, Sainte‑Anne Hospital, Paris, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurosciences of Paris, INSERM U1266, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Anthony Behin
- AP-HP, Referral Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, Institute of Myology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Bruno Eymard
- AP-HP, Referral Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, Institute of Myology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Francis Bolgert
- Neuro-Intensive Care Unit, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, AP-HP, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Demeret
- Neuro-Intensive Care Unit, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, AP-HP, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Sonia Berrih-Aknin
- Center of Research in Myology, Institute of Myology, INSERM, Sorbonne University, 105, Boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France
| | - Rozen Le Panse
- Center of Research in Myology, Institute of Myology, INSERM, Sorbonne University, 105, Boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013, Paris, France.
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3
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Kaminski HJ, Sikorski P, Coronel SI, Kusner LL. Myasthenia gravis: the future is here. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e179742. [PMID: 39105625 DOI: 10.1172/jci179742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Myasthenia gravis (MG) stands as a prototypical antibody-mediated autoimmune disease: it is dependent on T cells and characterized by the presence of autoantibodies targeting proteins located on the postsynaptic surface of skeletal muscle, known as the neuromuscular junction. Patients with MG exhibit a spectrum of weakness, ranging from limited ocular muscle involvement to life-threatening respiratory failure. Recent decades have witnessed substantial progress in understanding the underlying pathophysiology, leading to the delineation of distinct subcategories within MG, including MG linked to AChR or MuSK antibodies as well as age-based distinction, thymoma-associated, and immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced MG. This heightened understanding has paved the way for the development of more precise and targeted therapeutic interventions. Notably, the FDA has recently approved therapeutic inhibitors of complement and the IgG receptor FcRn, a testament to our improved comprehension of autoantibody effector mechanisms in MG. In this Review, we delve into the various subgroups of MG, stratified by age, autoantibody type, and histology of the thymus with neoplasms. Furthermore, we explore both current and potential emerging therapeutic strategies, shedding light on the evolving landscape of MG treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Linda L Kusner
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
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Cavalcante P, Mantegazza R, Antozzi C. Targeting autoimmune mechanisms by precision medicine in Myasthenia Gravis. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1404191. [PMID: 38903526 PMCID: PMC11187261 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1404191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a chronic disabling autoimmune disease caused by autoantibodies to the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), characterized clinically by fluctuating weakness and early fatigability of ocular, skeletal and bulbar muscles. Despite being commonly considered a prototypic autoimmune disorder, MG is a complex and heterogeneous condition, presenting with variable clinical phenotypes, likely due to distinct pathophysiological settings related with different immunoreactivities, symptoms' distribution, disease severity, age at onset, thymic histopathology and response to therapies. Current treatment of MG based on international consensus guidelines allows to effectively control symptoms, but most patients do not reach complete stable remission and require life-long immunosuppressive (IS) therapies. Moreover, a proportion of them is refractory to conventional IS treatment, highlighting the need for more specific and tailored strategies. Precision medicine is a new frontier of medicine that promises to greatly increase therapeutic success in several diseases, including autoimmune conditions. In MG, B cell activation, antibody recycling and NMJ damage by the complement system are crucial mechanisms, and their targeting by innovative biological drugs has been proven to be effective and safe in clinical trials. The switch from conventional IS to novel precision medicine approaches based on these drugs could prospectively and significantly improve MG care. In this review, we provide an overview of key immunopathogenetic processes underlying MG, and discuss on emerging biological drugs targeting them. We also discuss on future direction of research to address the need for patients' stratification in endotypes according with genetic and molecular biomarkers for successful clinical decision making within precision medicine workflow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Cavalcante
- Neurology 4 – Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Renato Mantegazza
- Neurology 4 – Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
| | - Carlo Antozzi
- Neurology 4 – Neuroimmunology and Neuromuscular Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
- Immunotherapy and Apheresis Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
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5
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Waheed W, Bacopulos A, Seyam M, Kooperkamp H, Moin M, Malik T, Tandan R. Physiological and pathological roles of the thymus and value of thymectomy in myasthenia gravis: a narrative review. MEDIASTINUM (HONG KONG, CHINA) 2024; 8:31. [PMID: 38881805 PMCID: PMC11177005 DOI: 10.21037/med-23-43] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objective Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a well-elucidated autoimmune disorder affecting the neuromuscular junction. Given the relationship between MG and thymic pathologies, with T cell and antibody-mediated pathogenesis, surgical (i.e., thymectomy) and non-surgical approaches remain a mainstay of management of the disease. This review seeks to outline the involvement of the thymus in the development of lymphocytes leading to MG. Methods Different databases were searched exploring the role of thymectomy in treatment and outcomes in various MG patient subpopulations, including in ocular versus generalized disease, different age groups, and antibody status. Key Content and Findings Overall, the findings of multiple studies and reviews provide evidence to support the efficacy and long-term success of thymectomy in the management of MG; outcomes have included remission status, symptom severity, and need for adjunctive therapy. However, the heterogeneity in the MG population suggests that there are multiple factors that may confound the results of thymectomy and still need further examination. Separately, other autoimmune diseases develop following thymectomy, and further research is required to elucidate this susceptibility. Finally, our review will discuss the different surgical approaches for thymectomy, including their advantages, limitations, and perioperative complications. Conclusions Overall, in light of the known pathogenesis and association of the thymus with MG, thymectomy remains an extremely effective approach for long-term management and improved clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waqar Waheed
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Robert D. Larner, MD College of Medicine and University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Agnes Bacopulos
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Robert D. Larner, MD College of Medicine and University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Muhannad Seyam
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Robert D. Larner, MD College of Medicine and University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Hannah Kooperkamp
- Division of Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery, University of Vermont Robert D. Larner, MD College of Medicine and University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Maryam Moin
- Department of Neurology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, IL, USA
| | - Tariq Malik
- Department of Anesthesiology, Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Rup Tandan
- Department of Neurological Sciences, University of Vermont Robert D. Larner, MD College of Medicine and University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT, USA
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Jensen CG, Sumner JA, Kleinstein SH, Hoehn KB. Inferring B Cell Phylogenies from Paired H and L Chain BCR Sequences with Dowser. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2024; 212:1579-1588. [PMID: 38557795 PMCID: PMC11073909 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Abs are vital to human immune responses and are composed of genetically variable H and L chains. These structures are initially expressed as BCRs. BCR diversity is shaped through somatic hypermutation and selection during immune responses. This evolutionary process produces B cell clones, cells that descend from a common ancestor but differ by mutations. Phylogenetic trees inferred from BCR sequences can reconstruct the history of mutations within a clone. Until recently, BCR sequencing technologies separated H and L chains, but advancements in single-cell sequencing now pair H and L chains from individual cells. However, it is unclear how these separate genes should be combined to infer B cell phylogenies. In this study, we investigated strategies for using paired H and L chain sequences to build phylogenetic trees. We found that incorporating L chains significantly improved tree accuracy and reproducibility across all methods tested. This improvement was greater than the difference between tree-building methods and persisted even when mixing bulk and single-cell sequencing data. However, we also found that many phylogenetic methods estimated significantly biased branch lengths when some L chains were missing, such as when mixing single-cell and bulk BCR data. This bias was eliminated using maximum likelihood methods with separate branch lengths for H and L chain gene partitions. Thus, we recommend using maximum likelihood methods with separate H and L chain partitions, especially when mixing data types. We implemented these methods in the R package Dowser: https://dowser.readthedocs.io.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cole G. Jensen
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Jacob A. Sumner
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Integrated Graduate Program in Physical and Engineering Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA
| | - Steven H. Kleinstein
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Kenneth B. Hoehn
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Current address: Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
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Okuzono Y, Miyakawa S, Itou T, Sagara M, Iwata M, Ishizuchi K, Sekiguchi K, Motegi H, Oyama M, Warude D, Kikukawa Y, Suzuki S. B-cell immune dysregulation with low soluble CD22 levels in refractory seronegative myasthenia gravis. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1382320. [PMID: 38711503 PMCID: PMC11071663 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1382320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Myasthenia gravis (MG), primarily caused by acetylcholine receptor (AChR) autoantibodies, is a chronic autoimmune disorder causing severe muscle weakness and fatigability. In particular, seronegative MG constitutes 10%-15% of MG cases and presents diagnostic challenges especially in early-onset female patients who often show severe disease and resistance to immunosuppressive therapy. Furthermore, the immunopathology of seronegative MG remains unclear. Thus, in this study, we aimed to elucidate the pathogenic mechanism of seronegative MG using scRNA-seq analysis and plasma proteome analysis; in particular, we investigated the relationship between immune dysregulation status and disease severity in refractory seronegative MG. Employing single-cell RNA-sequencing and plasma proteome analyses, we analyzed peripheral blood samples from 30 women divided into three groups: 10 healthy controls, 10 early-onset AChR-positive MG, and 10 refractory early-onset seronegative MG patients, both before and after intravenous immunoglobulin treatment. The disease severity was evaluated using the MG-Activities of Daily Living (ADL), MG composite (MGC), and revised 15-item MG-Quality of Life (QOL) scales. We observed numerical abnormalities in multiple immune cells, particularly B cells, in patients with refractory seronegative MG, correlating with disease activity. Notably, severe MG cases had fewer regulatory T cells without functional abnormalities. Memory B cells were found to be enriched in peripheral blood cells compared with naïve B cells. Moreover, plasma proteome analysis indicated significantly lower plasma protein levels of soluble CD22, expressed in the lineage of B-cell maturation (including mature B cells and memory B cells), in refractory seronegative MG patients than in healthy donors or patients with AChR-positive MG. Soluble CD22 levels were correlated with disease severity, B-cell frequency, and RNA expression levels of CD22. In summary, this study elucidates the immunopathology of refractory seronegative MG, highlighting immune disorders centered on B cells and diminished soluble CD22 levels. These insights pave the way for novel MG treatment strategies focused on B-cell biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuumi Okuzono
- Oncology Drug Discovery Unit Japan, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Shuuichi Miyakawa
- Oncology Drug Discovery Unit Japan, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Tatsuo Itou
- Oncology Drug Discovery Unit Japan, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Masaki Sagara
- Oncology Drug Discovery Unit Japan, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Masashi Iwata
- Oncology Drug Discovery Unit Japan, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kei Ishizuchi
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koji Sekiguchi
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruhiko Motegi
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Neurology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Munenori Oyama
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Dnyaneshwar Warude
- Oncology Drug Discovery Unit Japan, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yusuke Kikukawa
- Oncology Drug Discovery Unit Japan, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Shigeaki Suzuki
- Department of Neurology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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Moura J, Sousa AP, Samões R, Carneiro P, Neves E, Silva AM, Santos E. Anti-titin antibodies in a cohort of myasthenia gravis patients. J Thorac Dis 2024; 16:973-978. [PMID: 38505076 PMCID: PMC10944723 DOI: 10.21037/jtd-23-94] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Background Anti-titin antibodies have been previously associated with thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis (MG) and a more clinically severe form of MG. While currently only serving as a disease biomarker, its possible utility as an indicator of underlying thymus malignancy may be of value in clinical practice. Methods Data was retrospectively collected and analyzed from 2013 to 2022 using an institutional record of MG patients. Anti-titin antibodies were assessed using Line Blot immunoassay. Results From 130 MG cases, 32 (24.6%) were anti-titin positive. Anti-titin positive cases were associated with older age of disease onset [median (IQR): 63.0 (44.3-70.8) vs. 35.5 (24.8-60.8) years] (P<0.01). Thymectomy was performed in 46 (35.4%) MG patients, 12 of which anti-titin positive (26.1%). Thymectomy samples from anti-titin positive patients comprised 10 (83.3%) cases of thymoma and 2 (16.7%) cases of thymus hyperplasia. There was a tendency towards anti-titin positive patients having more thymoma while anti-titin negative displayed more hyperplasia (P<0.01). Anti-titin positivity correlated with thymoma in patients with age of onset bellow 50 years (P=0.028). Anti-titin positivity was significantly associated with generalized MG in the late-onset group (P=0.005). Conclusions The presence of anti-titin antibodies appears to correlate with underlying thymoma in early-onset MG cases and with generalized MG in late-onset cases. Prospective studies are needed to further study this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Moura
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Paula Sousa
- Department of Neurophysiology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António, Porto, Portugal
| | - Raquel Samões
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António, Porto, Portugal
- Unit of Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Carneiro
- Department of Immunology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António, Porto, Portugal
| | - Esmeralda Neves
- Department of Immunology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana Martins Silva
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António, Porto, Portugal
- Unit of Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Porto, Portugal
| | - Ernestina Santos
- Department of Neurology, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Santo António, Porto, Portugal
- Unit of Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Porto, Portugal
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9
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Hoehn KB, Kleinstein SH. B cell phylogenetics in the single cell era. Trends Immunol 2024; 45:62-74. [PMID: 38151443 PMCID: PMC10872299 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2023.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
The widespread availability of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has led to the development of new methods for understanding immune responses. Single-cell transcriptome data can now be paired with B cell receptor (BCR) sequences. However, RNA from BCRs cannot be analyzed like most other genes because BCRs are genetically diverse within individuals. In humans, BCRs are shaped through recombination followed by mutation and selection for antigen binding. As these processes co-occur with cell division, B cells can be studied using phylogenetic trees representing the mutations within a clone. B cell trees can link experimental timepoints, tissues, or cellular subtypes. Here, we review the current state and potential of how B cell phylogenetics can be combined with single-cell data to understand immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth B Hoehn
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA.
| | - Steven H Kleinstein
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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10
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Sikorski P, Li Y, Cheema M, Wolfe GI, Kusner LL, Aban I, Kaminski HJ. Serum metabolomics of treatment response in myasthenia gravis. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287654. [PMID: 37816000 PMCID: PMC10564178 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE High-dose prednisone use, lasting several months or longer, is the primary initial therapy for myasthenia gravis (MG). Upwards of a third of patients do not respond to treatment. Currently no biomarkers can predict clinical responsiveness to corticosteroid treatment. We conducted a discovery-based study to identify treatment responsive biomarkers in MG using sera obtained at study entry to the thymectomy clinical trial (MGTX), an NIH-sponsored randomized, controlled study of thymectomy plus prednisone versus prednisone alone. METHODS We applied ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electro-spray quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry to obtain comparative serum metabolomic and lipidomic profiles at study entry to correlate with treatment response at 6 months. Treatment response was assessed using validated outcome measures of minimal manifestation status (MMS), MG-Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL), Quantitative MG (QMG) score, or a strictly defined composite measure of response. RESULTS Increased serum levels of phospholipids were associated with treatment response as assessed by QMG, MMS, and the Responders classification, but all measures showed limited overlap in metabolomic profiles, in particular the MG-ADL. A panel including histidine, free fatty acid (13:0), γ-cholestenol and guanosine was highly predictive of the strictly defined treatment response measure. The AUC in Responders' prediction for these markers was 0.90 irrespective of gender, age, thymectomy or baseline prednisone use. Pathway analysis suggests that xenobiotic metabolism could play a major role in treatment resistance. There was no association with outcome and gender, age, thymectomy or baseline prednisone use. INTERPRETATION We have defined a metabolomic and lipidomic profile that can now undergo validation as a treatment predictive marker for MG patients undergoing corticosteroid therapy. Metabolomic profiles of outcome measures had limited overlap consistent with their assessing distinct aspects of treatment response and supporting unique biological underpinning for each outcome measure. Interindividual variation in prednisone metabolism may be a determinate of how well patients respond to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Sikorski
- Department of Neurology & Rehabilitation Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Yaoxiang Li
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Mehar Cheema
- Department of Neurology & Rehabilitation Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Gil I. Wolfe
- Department of Neurology, University at Buffalo/SUNY, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
| | - Linda L. Kusner
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Inmaculada Aban
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Henry J. Kaminski
- Department of Neurology & Rehabilitation Medicine, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States of America
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11
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Jensen CG, Sumner JA, Kleinstein SH, Hoehn KB. Inferring B cell phylogenies from paired heavy and light chain BCR sequences with Dowser. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.29.560187. [PMID: 37873135 PMCID: PMC10592837 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.29.560187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Antibodies are vital to human immune responses and are composed of genetically variable heavy and light chains. These structures are initially expressed as B cell receptors (BCRs). BCR diversity is shaped through somatic hypermutation and selection during immune responses. This evolutionary process produces B cell clones, cells that descend from a common ancestor but differ by mutations. Phylogenetic trees inferred from BCR sequences can reconstruct the history of mutations within a clone. Until recently, BCR sequencing technologies separated heavy and light chains, but advancements in single cell sequencing now pair heavy and light chains from individual cells. However, it is unclear how these separate genes should be combined to infer B cell phylogenies. In this study, we investigated strategies for using paired heavy and light chain sequences to build phylogenetic trees. We found incorporating light chains significantly improved tree accuracy and reproducibility across all methods tested. This improvement was greater than the difference between tree building methods and persisted even when mixing bulk and single cell sequencing data. However, we also found that many phylogenetic methods estimated significantly biased branch lengths when some light chains were missing, such as when mixing single cell and bulk BCR data. This bias was eliminated using maximum likelihood methods with separate branch lengths for heavy and light chain gene partitions. Thus, we recommend using maximum likelihood methods with separate heavy and light chain partitions, especially when mixing data types. We implemented these methods in the R package Dowser: https://dowser.readthedocs.io.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cole G. Jensen
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Jacob A. Sumner
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Integrated Graduate Program in Physical and Engineering Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520, USA
| | - Steven H. Kleinstein
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Kenneth B. Hoehn
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Current address: Department of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
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12
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Rath J, Moser B, Zimprich F. Thymectomy in myasthenia gravis. Curr Opin Neurol 2023; 36:416-423. [PMID: 37639450 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000001189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Thymectomy has long been used in the treatment of patients with myasthenia gravis and antibodies against the acetylcholine receptor. However, its effectiveness has only been proven a few years ago in a randomized controlled trial in patients under the age of 65. Here, we review the current literature focusing on patient subgroups, potential biomarkers for outcome prediction and the choice of surgical approach. RECENT FINDINGS Long-term follow-up studies after thymectomy confirmed that the benefits regarding clinical outcome parameters and a reduced need for immunosuppressive treatment persist. Nevertheless, a substantial proportion of patients in real-world cohorts do not reach complete stable remission after thymectomy indicating that the underlying autoimmune process is sustained in the periphery. Our understanding of the responsible mechanisms has improved with recent studies. Presently, outcome data after thymectomy in several patient subgroups, such as those aged over 50 years, those with juvenile onset or those with purely ocular symptoms are limited and have been the focus of recent research activities. Similarly, biomarkers guiding an appropriate patient selection for thymectomy are under investigation. A number of cohort studies demonstrated that minimal invasive surgical techniques such as extended robotic thymectomy lead to similar positive outcomes as a transsternal approach with potentially fewer short-term adverse effects. SUMMARY Thymectomy is an effective treatment option in adult patients with early onset acetylcholine-receptor positive myasthenia gravis but uncertainty remains with regard to certain patient subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bernhard Moser
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- ESTS Thymic Working Group
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13
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Pham MC, Masi G, Patzina R, Obaid AH, Oxendine SR, Oh S, Payne AS, Nowak RJ, O'Connor KC. Individual myasthenia gravis autoantibody clones can efficiently mediate multiple mechanisms of pathology. Acta Neuropathol 2023; 146:319-336. [PMID: 37344701 DOI: 10.1007/s00401-023-02603-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Serum autoantibodies targeting the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) in patients with autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG) can mediate pathology via three distinct molecular mechanisms: complement activation, receptor blockade, and antigenic modulation. However, it is unclear whether multi-pathogenicity is mediated by individual or multiple autoantibody clones. Using an unbiased B cell culture screening approach, we generated a library of 11 human-derived AChR-specific recombinant monoclonal autoantibodies (mAb) and assessed their binding properties and pathogenic profiles using specialized cell-based assays. Five mAbs activated complement, three blocked α-bungarotoxin binding to the receptor, and seven induced antigenic modulation. Furthermore, two clonally related mAbs derived from one patient were each highly efficient at more than one of these mechanisms, demonstrating that pathogenic mechanisms are not mutually exclusive at the monoclonal level. Using novel Jurkat cell lines that individually express each monomeric AChR subunit (α2βδε), these two mAbs with multi-pathogenic capacity were determined to exclusively bind the α-subunit of AChR, demonstrating an association between mAb specificity and pathogenic capacity. These findings provide new insight into the immunopathology of MG, demonstrating that single autoreactive clones can efficiently mediate multiple modes of pathology. Current therapeutic approaches targeting only one autoantibody-mediated pathogenic mechanism may be evaded by autoantibodies with multifaceted capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minh C Pham
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street-Room 353J, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Gianvito Masi
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street-Room 353J, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Rosa Patzina
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street-Room 353J, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Abeer H Obaid
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street-Room 353J, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
- Institute of Biomedical Studies, Baylor University, Waco, TX, 76706, USA
| | - Seneca R Oxendine
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street-Room 353J, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Sangwook Oh
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Aimee S Payne
- Department of Dermatology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Richard J Nowak
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Kevin C O'Connor
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 George Street-Room 353J, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
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14
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Huang EJC, Wu MH, Wang TJ, Huang TJ, Li YR, Lee CY. Myasthenia Gravis: Novel Findings and Perspectives on Traditional to Regenerative Therapeutic Interventions. Aging Dis 2023; 14:1070-1092. [PMID: 37163445 PMCID: PMC10389825 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2022.1215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of myasthenia gravis (MG), an autoimmune disorder, is increasing among all subsets of the population leading to an elevated economic and social burden. The pathogenesis of MG is characterized by the synthesis of autoantibodies against the acetylcholine receptor (AChR), low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (LRP4), or muscle-specific kinase at the neuromuscular junction, thereby leading to muscular weakness and fatigue. Based on clinical and laboratory examinations, the research is focused on distinguishing MG from other autoimmune, genetic diseases of neuromuscular transmission. Technological advancements in machine learning, a subset of artificial intelligence (AI) have been assistive in accurate diagnosis and management. Besides, addressing the clinical needs of MG patients is critical to improving quality of life (QoL) and satisfaction. Lifestyle changes including physical exercise and traditional Chinese medicine/herbs have also been shown to exert an ameliorative impact on MG progression. To achieve enhanced therapeutic efficacy, cholinesterase inhibitors, immunosuppressive drugs, and steroids in addition to plasma exchange therapy are widely recommended. Under surgical intervention, thymectomy is the only feasible alternative to removing thymoma to overcome thymoma-associated MG. Although these conventional and current therapeutic approaches are effective, the associated adverse events and surgical complexity limit their wide application. Moreover, Restivo et al. also, to increase survival and QoL, further recent developments revealed that antibody, gene, and regenerative therapies (such as stem cells and exosomes) are currently being investigated as a safer and more efficacious alternative. Considering these above-mentioned points, we have comprehensively reviewed the recent advances in pathological etiologies of MG including COVID-19, and its therapeutic management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Jou-Chen Huang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Meng-Huang Wu
- Department of Orthopedics, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Tsung-Jen Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Tsung-Jen Huang
- Department of Orthopedics, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
| | - Yan-Rong Li
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
| | - Ching-Yu Lee
- Department of Orthopedics, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department of Orthopaedics, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- International PhD Program for Cell Therapy and Regeneration Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.
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15
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Paganelli R, Di Lizia M, D'Urbano M, Gatta A, Paganelli A, Amerio P, Parronchi P. Insights from a Case of Good's Syndrome (Immunodeficiency with Thymoma). Biomedicines 2023; 11:1605. [PMID: 37371700 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11061605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunodeficiency with thymoma was described by R.A. Good in 1954 and is also named after him. The syndrome is characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia associated with thymoma and recurrent infections, bacterial but also viral, fungal and parasitic. Autoimmune diseases, mainly pure red cell aplasia, other hematological disorders and erosive lichen planus are a common finding. We describe here a typical case exhibiting all these clinical features and report a detailed immunophenotypic assessment, as well as the positivity for autoantibodies against three cytokines (IFN-alpha, IL-6 and GM-CSF), which may add to known immune abnormalities. A review of the published literature, based on case series and immunological studies, offers some hints on the still unsolved issues of this rare condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Paganelli
- Department of Medicine and Sciences of Aging, University "G. D'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
- Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, UniCamillus, Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, 00131 Rome, Italy
| | - Michela Di Lizia
- Allergology ASL Teramo, Hospital of Giulianova, 64021 Giulianova, Italy
| | - Marika D'Urbano
- Laboratory Unit, Hospital S. Annunziata, 67039 Sulmona, Italy
| | - Alessia Gatta
- Allergology Service, ASL Chieti, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Alessia Paganelli
- PhD Course in Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Modena-Reggio Emilia, 41121 Modena, Italy
| | - Paolo Amerio
- Department of Medicine and Sciences of Aging, University "G. D'Annunzio" of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Paola Parronchi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
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16
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Jiang R, Roy B, Wu Q, Mohanty S, Nowak RJ, Shaw AC, Kleinstein SH, O’Connor KC. The Plasma Cell Infiltrate Populating the Muscle Tissue of Patients with Inclusion Body Myositis Features Distinct B Cell Receptor Repertoire Properties. Immunohorizons 2023; 7:310-322. [PMID: 37171806 PMCID: PMC10579972 DOI: 10.4049/immunohorizons.2200078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is an autoimmune and degenerative disorder of skeletal muscle. The B cell infiltrates in IBM muscle tissue are predominantly fully differentiated Ab-secreting plasma cells, with scarce naive or memory B cells. The role of this infiltrate in the disease pathology is not well understood. To better define the humoral response in IBM, we used adaptive immune receptor repertoire sequencing, of human-derived specimens, to generate large BCR repertoire libraries from IBM muscle biopsies and compared them to those generated from dermatomyositis, polymyositis, and circulating CD27+ memory B cells, derived from healthy controls and Ab-secreting cells collected following vaccination. The repertoire properties of the IBM infiltrate included the following: clones that equaled or exceeded the highly clonal vaccine-associated Ab-secreting cell repertoire in size; reduced somatic mutation selection pressure in the CDRs and framework regions; and usage of class-switched IgG and IgA isotypes, with a minor population of IgM-expressing cells. The IBM IgM-expressing population revealed unique features, including an elevated somatic mutation frequency and distinct CDR3 physicochemical properties. These findings demonstrate that some of IBM muscle BCR repertoire characteristics are distinct from dermatomyositis and polymyositis and circulating Ag-experienced subsets, suggesting that it may form through selection by disease-specific Ags.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Jiang
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Bhaskar Roy
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Qian Wu
- Department of Pathology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT
| | - Subhasis Mohanty
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | | | - Albert C. Shaw
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Steven H. Kleinstein
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Kevin C. O’Connor
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
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17
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Tarlinton DM, Ding Z, Tellier J, Nutt SL. Making sense of plasma cell heterogeneity. Curr Opin Immunol 2023; 81:102297. [PMID: 36889029 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2023.102297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Plasma cells (PCs) are essential for the quality and longevity of protective immunity. The canonical humoral response to vaccination involves induction of germinal centers in lymph nodes followed by maintenance by bone marrow-resident PCs, although there are many variations of this theme. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of PCs in nonlymphoid organs, including the gut, central nervous system, and skin. These sites harbor PCs with distinct isotypes and possible immunoglobulin-independent functions. Indeed, bone marrow now appears unique in housing PCs derived from multiple other organs. The mechanisms through which the bone marrow maintains PC survival long-term and the impact of their diverse origins on this process remain very active areas of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Tarlinton
- Department of Immunology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Zhoujie Ding
- Department of Immunology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Julie Tellier
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephen L Nutt
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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18
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Blocking interleukin-23 ameliorates neuromuscular and thymic defects in myasthenia gravis. J Neuroinflammation 2023; 20:9. [PMID: 36639663 PMCID: PMC9837970 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-023-02691-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholine receptor (AChR) myasthenia gravis (MG) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by muscle weakness. The AChR+ autoantibodies are produced by B-cells located in thymic ectopic germinal centers (eGC). No therapeutic approach is curative. The inflammatory IL-23/Th17 pathway is activated in the thymus as well as in the blood and the muscle, contributing to the MG pathogenic events. We aimed to study a potential new therapeutic approach that targets IL-23p19 (IL-23) in the two complementary preclinical MG models: the classical experimental MG mouse model (EAMG) based on active immunization and the humanized mouse model featuring human MG thymuses engrafted in NSG mice (NSG-MG). In both preclinical models, the anti-IL-23 treatment ameliorated MG clinical symptoms. In the EAMG, the treatment reduced IL-17 related inflammation, anti-AChR IgG2b antibody production, activated transduction pathway involved in muscle regeneration and ameliorated the signal transduction at the neuromuscular junction. In the NSG-MG model, the treatment reduced pathogenic Th17 cell population and expression of genes involved in eGC stabilization and B-cell development in human MG thymus biopsies. Altogether, these data suggest that a therapy targeting IL-23p19 may promote significant clinical ameliorations in AChR+ MG disease due to concomitant beneficial effects on the thymus and skeletal muscle defects.
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19
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Pioli KT, Pioli PD. Thymus antibody-secreting cells: once forgotten but not lost. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1170438. [PMID: 37122712 PMCID: PMC10130419 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1170438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibody-secreting cells are essential contributors to the humoral response. This is due to multiple factors which include: 1) the ability to secrete thousands of antibodies per second, 2) the ability to regulate the immune response and 3) the potential to be long-lived. Not surprisingly, these cells can be found in numerous sites within the body which include organs that directly interface with potential pathogens (e.g., gut) and others that provide long-term survival niches (e.g., bone marrow). Even though antibody-secreting cells were first identified in the thymus of both humans and rodents in the 1960s, if not earlier, only recently has this population begun to be extensively investigated. In this article, we provide an update regarding the current breath of knowledge pertaining to thymus antibody-secreting cells and discuss the potential roles of these cells and their impact on health.
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20
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Verdier J, Fayet OM, Hemery E, Truffault F, Pinzón N, Demeret S, Behin A, Fadel E, Guihaire J, Corneau A, Blanc C, Berrih-Aknin S, Le Panse R. Single-cell mass cytometry on peripheral cells in Myasthenia Gravis identifies dysregulation of innate immune cells. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1083218. [PMID: 36793723 PMCID: PMC9922723 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1083218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a neurological autoimmune disease characterized by disabling muscle weaknesses due to anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) autoantibodies. To gain insight into immune dysregulation underlying early-onset AChR+ MG, we performed an in-depth analysis of peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMCs) using mass cytometry. PBMCs from 24 AChR+ MG patients without thymoma and 16 controls were stained with a panel of 37 antibodies. Using both unsupervised and supervised approaches, we observed a decrease in monocytes, for all subpopulations: classical, intermediate, and non-classical monocytes. In contrast, an increase in innate lymphoid cells 2 (ILC2s) and CD27- γδ T cells was observed. We further investigated the dysregulations affecting monocytes and γδ T cells in MG. We analyzed CD27- γδ T cells in PBMCs and thymic cells from AChR+ MG patients. We detected the increase in CD27- γδ T cells in thymic cells of MG patients suggesting that the inflammatory thymic environment might affect γδ T cell differentiation. To better understand changes that might affect monocytes, we analyzed RNA sequencing data from CD14+ PBMCs and showed a global decrease activity of monocytes in MG patients. Next, by flow cytometry, we especially confirmed the decrease affecting non-classical monocytes. In MG, as for other B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases, dysregulations are well known for adaptive immune cells, such as B and T cells. Here, using single-cell mass cytometry, we unraveled unexpected dysregulations for innate immune cells. If these cells are known to be crucial for host defense, our results demonstrated that they could also be involved in autoimmunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Verdier
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, Paris, France
| | - Odessa-Maud Fayet
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, Paris, France
| | - Edouard Hemery
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, Paris, France
| | - Frédérique Truffault
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, Paris, France
| | - Natalia Pinzón
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Demeret
- APHP, Assistance Publique - Hopitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Anthony Behin
- AP-HP, Referral Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, Institute of Myology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Elie Fadel
- Marie Lannelongue Hospital, Paris-Sud University, Le Plessis-Robinson, France
| | - Julien Guihaire
- Marie Lannelongue Hospital, Paris-Sud University, Le Plessis-Robinson, France
| | - Aurélien Corneau
- Plateforme de Cytométrie de la Pitié-Salpétrière (CyPS), UMS037-PASS, Sorbonne Université-Faculté de Médecine, Paris, France
| | - Catherine Blanc
- Plateforme de Cytométrie de la Pitié-Salpétrière (CyPS), UMS037-PASS, Sorbonne Université-Faculté de Médecine, Paris, France
| | - Sonia Berrih-Aknin
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, Paris, France
| | - Rozen Le Panse
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, Paris, France
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21
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Yasumizu Y, Ohkura N, Murata H, Kinoshita M, Funaki S, Nojima S, Kido K, Kohara M, Motooka D, Okuzaki D, Suganami S, Takeuchi E, Nakamura Y, Takeshima Y, Arai M, Tada S, Okumura M, Morii E, Shintani Y, Sakaguchi S, Okuno T, Mochizuki H. Myasthenia gravis-specific aberrant neuromuscular gene expression by medullary thymic epithelial cells in thymoma. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4230. [PMID: 35869073 PMCID: PMC9305039 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31951-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractMyasthenia gravis (MG) is a neurological disease caused by autoantibodies against neuromuscular-associated proteins. While MG frequently develops in thymoma patients, the etiologic factors for MG are not well understood. Here, by constructing a comprehensive atlas of thymoma using bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing, we identify ectopic expression of neuromuscular molecules in MG-type thymoma. These molecules are found within a distinct subpopulation of medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs), which we name neuromuscular mTECs (nmTECs). MG-thymoma also exhibits microenvironments dedicated to autoantibody production, including ectopic germinal center formation, T follicular helper cell accumulation, and type 2 conventional dendritic cell migration. Cell–cell interaction analysis also predicts the interaction between nmTECs and T/B cells via CXCL12-CXCR4. The enrichment of nmTECs presenting neuromuscular molecules within MG-thymoma is further confirmed immunohistochemically and by cellular composition estimation from the MG-thymoma transcriptome. Altogether, this study suggests that nmTECs have a significant function in MG pathogenesis via ectopic expression of neuromuscular molecules.
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22
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review summarizes recent insights into the immunopathogenesis of autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG). Mechanistic understanding is presented according to MG disease subtypes and by leveraging the knowledge gained through the use of immunomodulating biological therapeutics. RECENT FINDINGS The past two years of research on MG have led to a more accurate definition of the mechanisms through which muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) autoantibodies induce pathology. Novel insights have also emerged from the collection of stronger evidence on the pathogenic capacity of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 autoantibodies. Clinical observations have revealed a new MG phenotype triggered by cancer immunotherapy, but the underlying immunobiology remains undetermined. From a therapeutic perspective, MG patients can now benefit from a wider spectrum of treatment options. Such therapies have uncovered profound differences in clinical responses between and within the acetylcholine receptor and MuSK MG subtypes. Diverse mechanisms of immunopathology between the two subtypes, as well as qualitative nuances in the autoantibody repertoire of each patient, likely underpin the variability in therapeutic outcomes. Although predictive biomarkers of clinical response are lacking, these observations have ignited the development of assays that might assist clinicians in the choice of specific therapeutic strategies. SUMMARY Recent advances in the understanding of autoantibody functionalities are bringing neuroimmunologists closer to a more detailed appreciation of the mechanisms that govern MG pathology. Future investigations on the immunological heterogeneity among MG patients will be key to developing effective, individually tailored therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianvito Masi
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511 USA
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511 USA
| | - Kevin C. O’Connor
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511 USA
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06511 USA
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23
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Chen K, Li Y, Yang H. Poor responses and adverse outcomes of myasthenia gravis after thymectomy: Predicting factors and immunological implications. J Autoimmun 2022; 132:102895. [PMID: 36041292 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaut.2022.102895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
Myasthenia gravis (MG) has been recognized as a series of heterogeneous but treatable autoimmune conditions. As one of the indispensable therapies, thymectomy can achieve favorable prognosis especially in early-onset generalized MG patients with seropositive acetylcholine receptor antibody. However, poor outcomes, including worsening or relapse of MG, postoperative myasthenic crisis and even post-thymectomy MG, are also observed in certain scenarios. The responses to thymectomy may be associated with the general characteristics of patients, disease conditions of MG, autoantibody profiles, native or ectopic thymic pathologies, surgical-related factors, pharmacotherapy and other adjuvant modalities, and the presence of comorbidities and complications. However, in addition to these variations among individuals, pathological remnants and the abnormal immunological milieu and responses potentially represent major mechanisms that underlie the detrimental neurological outcomes after thymectomy. We underscore these plausible risk factors and discuss the immunological implications therein, which may be conducive to better managing the indications for thymectomy, to avoiding modifiable risk factors of poor responses and adverse outcomes, and to developing post-thymectomy preventive and therapeutic strategies for MG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangzhi Chen
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Huan Yang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
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24
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Obaid AH, Zografou C, Vadysirisack DD, Munro-Sheldon B, Fichtner ML, Roy B, Philbrick WM, Bennett JL, Nowak RJ, O'Connor KC. Heterogeneity of Acetylcholine Receptor Autoantibody-Mediated Complement Activity in Patients With Myasthenia Gravis. NEUROLOGY(R) NEUROIMMUNOLOGY & NEUROINFLAMMATION 2022; 9:9/4/e1169. [PMID: 35473886 PMCID: PMC9128035 DOI: 10.1212/nxi.0000000000001169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Autoantibodies targeting the acetylcholine receptor (AChR), found in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), mediate pathology through 3 mechanisms: complement-directed tissue damage, blocking of the acetylcholine binding site, and internalization of the AChR. Clinical assays, used to diagnose and monitor patients, measure only autoantibody binding. Consequently, they are limited in providing association with disease burden, understanding of mechanistic heterogeneity, and monitoring therapeutic response. The objective of this study was to develop a cell-based assay that measures AChR autoantibody-mediated complement membrane attack complex (MAC) formation. METHODS An HEK293T cell line-modified using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to disrupt expression of the complement regulator genes (CD46, CD55, and CD59)-was used to measure AChR autoantibody-mediated MAC formation through flow cytometry. RESULTS Serum samples (n = 155) from 96 clinically confirmed AChR MG patients, representing a wide range of disease burden and autoantibody titer, were tested along with 32 healthy donor (HD) samples. AChR autoantibodies were detected in 139 of the 155 (89.7%) MG samples through a cell-based assay. Of the 139 AChR-positive samples, autoantibody-mediated MAC formation was detected in 83 (59.7%), whereas MAC formation was undetectable in the HD group or AChR-positive samples with low autoantibody levels. MAC formation was positively associated with autoantibody binding in most patient samples; ratios (mean fluorescence intensity) of MAC formation to AChR autoantibody binding ranged between 0.27 and 48, with a median of 0.79 and an interquartile range of 0.43 (0.58-1.1). However, the distribution of ratios was asymmetric and included extreme values; 16 samples were beyond the 10-90 percentile, with high MAC to low AChR autoantibody binding ratio or the reverse. Correlation between MAC formation and clinical disease scores suggested a modest positive association (rho = 0.34, p = 0.0023), which included a subset of outliers that did not follow this pattern. MAC formation did not associate with exposure to immunotherapy, thymectomy, or MG subtypes defined by age-of-onset. DISCUSSION A novel assay for evaluating AChR autoantibody-mediated complement activity was developed. A subset of patients that lacks association between MAC formation and autoantibody binding or disease burden was identified. The assay may provide a better understanding of the heterogeneous autoantibody molecular pathology and identify patients expected to benefit from complement inhibitor therapy.
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25
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Hoehn KB, Pybus OG, Kleinstein SH. Phylogenetic analysis of migration, differentiation, and class switching in B cells. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009885. [PMID: 35468128 PMCID: PMC9037912 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
B cells undergo rapid mutation and selection for antibody binding affinity when producing antibodies capable of neutralizing pathogens. This evolutionary process can be intermixed with migration between tissues, differentiation between cellular subsets, and switching between functional isotypes. B cell receptor (BCR) sequence data has the potential to elucidate important information about these processes. However, there is currently no robust, generalizable framework for making such inferences from BCR sequence data. To address this, we develop three parsimony-based summary statistics to characterize migration, differentiation, and isotype switching along B cell phylogenetic trees. We use simulations to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach. We then use this framework to infer patterns of cellular differentiation and isotype switching from high throughput BCR sequence datasets obtained from patients in a study of HIV infection and a study of food allergy. These methods are implemented in the R package dowser, available at https://dowser.readthedocs.io. B cells produce high affinity antibodies through an evolutionary process of mutation and selection during adaptive immune responses. Migration between tissues, differentiation to cellular subtypes, and switching between different antibody isotypes can be important factors in shaping the role B cells play in response to infection, autoimmune disease, and allergies. B cell receptor (BCR) sequence data has the potential to elucidate important information about these processes. However, there is currently no robust, generalizable framework for making such inferences from BCR sequence data. Here, we develop three parsimony-based summary statistics to characterize migration, differentiation, and isotype switching along B cell phylogenetic trees. We confirm the effectiveness of our approach using simulations and further apply our method to data from patients with HIV and allergy. Our methods are released in the R package dowser: https://dowser.readthedocs.io.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth B. Hoehn
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Oliver G. Pybus
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Steven H. Kleinstein
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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26
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Payet CA, You A, Fayet OM, Dragin N, Berrih-Aknin S, Le Panse R. Myasthenia Gravis: An Acquired Interferonopathy? Cells 2022; 11:cells11071218. [PMID: 35406782 PMCID: PMC8997999 DOI: 10.3390/cells11071218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a rare autoimmune disease mediated by antibodies against components of the neuromuscular junction, particularly the acetylcholine receptor (AChR). The thymus plays a primary role in AChR-MG patients. In early-onset AChR-MG and thymoma-associated MG, an interferon type I (IFN-I) signature is clearly detected in the thymus. The origin of this chronic IFN-I expression in the thymus is not yet defined. IFN-I subtypes are normally produced in response to viral infection. However, genetic diseases called interferonopathies are associated with an aberrant chronic production of IFN-I defined as sterile inflammation. Some systemic autoimmune diseases also share common features with interferonopathies. This review aims to analyze the pathogenic role of IFN-I in these diseases as compared to AChR-MG in order to determine if AChR-MG could be an acquired interferonopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cloé A Payet
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Axel You
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Odessa-Maud Fayet
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Nadine Dragin
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Sonia Berrih-Aknin
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Rozen Le Panse
- Sorbonne University, INSERM, Institute of Myology, Center of Research in Myology, F-75013 Paris, France
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27
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Huijbers MG, Marx A, Plomp JJ, Le Panse R, Phillips WD. Advances in the understanding of disease mechanisms of autoimmune neuromuscular junction disorders. Lancet Neurol 2022; 21:163-175. [DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(21)00357-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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28
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Ectopic germinal centers in the thymus accurately predict prognosis of myasthenia gravis after thymectomy. Mod Pathol 2022; 35:1168-1174. [PMID: 35338262 PMCID: PMC9424113 DOI: 10.1038/s41379-022-01070-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The ability of thymic histopathology to predict the long-term impact of thymectomy in non-thymomatous myasthenia gravis (NTMG) is mainly uncharted. We applied digital pathology to quantitatively characterize differences of thymic histology between early-onset (EOMG) and late-onset MG (LOMG) and to investigate the role of thymic changes for thymectomy outcomes in MG. We analyzed 83 thymic H&E slides from thymectomized NTMG patients, of which 69 had EOMG and 14 LOMG, using digital pathology open-access software QuPath. We compared the results to the retrospectively assessed clinical outcome at two years after thymectomy and at the last follow-up visit where complete stable remission and minimal use of medication were primary outcomes. The automated annotation pipeline was an effective and reliable way to analyze thymic H&E samples compared to manual annotation with mean intraclass correlation of 0.80. The ratio of thymic tissue to stroma and fat was increased in EOMG compared to LOMG (p = 8.7e-07), whereas no difference was observed in the ratio of medulla to cortex between these subtypes. AChRAb seropositivity correlated with the number of ectopic germinal centers (eGC; p = 0.00067) but not with other histological areas. Patients with an increased number of eGCs had better post-thymectomy outcomes at two years after thymectomy (p = 0.0035) and at the last follow-up (p = 0.0267). ROC analysis showed that eGC area predicts thymectomy outcome in EOMG with an AUC of 0.79. Digital pathology can thus help in providing a predictive tool to the clinician, the eGC number, to guide the post-thymectomy treatment decisions in EOMG patients.
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29
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Hoehn KB, Turner JS, Miller FI, Jiang R, Pybus OG, Ellebedy AH, Kleinstein SH. Human B cell lineages associated with germinal centers following influenza vaccination are measurably evolving. eLife 2021; 10:e70873. [PMID: 34787567 PMCID: PMC8741214 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The poor efficacy of seasonal influenza virus vaccines is often attributed to pre-existing immunity interfering with the persistence and maturation of vaccine-induced B cell responses. We previously showed that a subset of vaccine-induced B cell lineages are recruited into germinal centers (GCs) following vaccination, suggesting that affinity maturation of these lineages against vaccine antigens can occur. However, it remains to be determined whether seasonal influenza vaccination stimulates additional evolution of vaccine-specific lineages, and previous work has found no significant increase in somatic hypermutation among influenza-binding lineages sampled from the blood following seasonal vaccination in humans. Here, we investigate this issue using a phylogenetic test of measurable immunoglobulin sequence evolution. We first validate this test through simulations and survey measurable evolution across multiple conditions. We find significant heterogeneity in measurable B cell evolution across conditions, with enrichment in primary response conditions such as HIV infection and early childhood development. We then show that measurable evolution following influenza vaccination is highly compartmentalized: while lineages in the blood are rarely measurably evolving following influenza vaccination, lineages containing GC B cells are frequently measurably evolving. Many of these lineages appear to derive from memory B cells. We conclude from these findings that seasonal influenza virus vaccination can stimulate additional evolution of responding B cell lineages, and imply that the poor efficacy of seasonal influenza vaccination is not due to a complete inhibition of vaccine-specific B cell evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth B Hoehn
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Jackson S Turner
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of MedicineSt LouisUnited States
| | | | - Ruoyi Jiang
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
| | - Oliver G Pybus
- Department of Zoology, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Ali H Ellebedy
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of MedicineSt LouisUnited States
- The Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of MedicineSt LouisUnited States
| | - Steven H Kleinstein
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale School of MedicineNew HavenUnited States
- Interdepartmental Program in Computational Biology & Bioinformatics, Yale UniversityNew HavenUnited States
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30
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Mandel-Brehm C, Fichtner ML, Jiang R, Winton VJ, Vazquez SE, Pham MC, Hoehn KB, Kelleher NL, Nowak RJ, Kleinstein SH, Wilson MR, DeRisi JL, O'Connor KC. Elevated N-Linked Glycosylation of IgG V Regions in Myasthenia Gravis Disease Subtypes. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 207:2005-2014. [PMID: 34544801 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2100225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Elevated N-linked glycosylation of IgG V regions (IgG-VN-Glyc) is an emerging molecular phenotype associated with autoimmune disorders. To test the broader specificity of elevated IgG-VN-Glyc, we studied patients with distinct subtypes of myasthenia gravis (MG), a B cell-mediated autoimmune disease. Our experimental design focused on examining the B cell repertoire and total IgG. It specifically included adaptive immune receptor repertoire sequencing to quantify and characterize N-linked glycosylation sites in the circulating BCR repertoire, proteomics to examine glycosylation patterns of the total circulating IgG, and an exploration of human-derived recombinant autoantibodies, which were studied with mass spectrometry and Ag binding assays to respectively confirm occupation of glycosylation sites and determine whether they alter binding. We found that the frequency of IgG-VN-Glyc motifs was increased in the total BCR repertoire of patients with MG when compared with healthy donors. The elevated frequency was attributed to both biased V gene segment usage and somatic hypermutation. IgG-VN-Glyc could be observed in the total circulating IgG in a subset of patients with MG. Autoantigen binding, by four patient-derived MG autoantigen-specific mAbs with experimentally confirmed presence of IgG-VN-Glyc, was not altered by the glycosylation. Our findings extend prior work on patterns of Ig V region N-linked glycosylation in autoimmunity to MG subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caleigh Mandel-Brehm
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Miriam L Fichtner
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.,Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Ruoyi Jiang
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Valerie J Winton
- Proteomics Center of Excellence, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
| | - Sara E Vazquez
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Minh C Pham
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Kenneth B Hoehn
- Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Neil L Kelleher
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Proteomics Center of Excellence at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.,Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Proteomics Center of Excellence at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
| | - Richard J Nowak
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
| | - Steven H Kleinstein
- Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.,Department of Pathology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.,Interdepartmental Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Yale University, New Haven, CT
| | - Michael R Wilson
- Weill Institute for Neurosciences, Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; and
| | - Joseph L DeRisi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.,Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA
| | - Kevin C O'Connor
- Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT; .,Department of Immunobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
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31
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Nabe Y, Hashimoto T, Tanaka K, Fujita Y, Yoshimatsu K, Nemoto Y, Oyama R, Matsumiya H, Mori M, Kanayama M, Taira A, Shinohara S, Kuwata T, Takenaka M, Tashima Y, Kuroda K, Tanaka F. Relationship between anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies and the development of post-thymectomy myasthenia gravis in patients with thymoma: a single-center experience. Gland Surg 2021; 10:2408-2413. [PMID: 34527552 DOI: 10.21037/gs-21-287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background Approximately 15-29.6% of patients with thymoma have myasthenia gravis (MG). Some of these patients develop MG after thymectomy despite having no history of MG or related symptoms. Few previous studies have examined the risk factors for the development of post-thymectomy MG in patients with thymoma. Herein, we retrospectively reviewed our institutional experience with patients with thymoma who developed MG after thymectomy. Methods Twenty-six patients with thymoma but without MG, who were tested preoperatively for anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody (anti-AChR-Ab) levels, underwent surgical resection at our hospital between 2013 and 2020. Patients with thymic carcinoma were excluded from the study. We evaluated the association of outcomes with preoperative anti-AChR-Ab levels and post-thymectomy MG. We performed a χ2 test for bivariate analysis of categorical data. Differences were considered significant at P<0.05. Results The characteristics of the 26 patients (median age: 62 years; 8 men, 18 women) were as follows: World Health Organization (WHO) classifications AB (n=8), B1 (n=9), B2 (n=6), B3 (n=1), and others (n=2) and Masaoka stage I (n=12), II (n=9), III (n=3), and IVa (n=2). Among the 26 patients, only five had high (>0.3 nmol/L) preoperative anti-AChR-Ab levels. Post-thymectomy MG occurred in two of the five patients (40%) with high preoperative anti-AChR-Ab levels. A high preoperative serum anti-AChR-Ab titer was significantly associated with post-thymectomy MG (P=0.0267). The anti-AChR-Ab titer was also measured postoperatively in four of the five (80%) patients with high preoperative levels. The anti-AChR-Ab titer decreased in two of these four patients, and neither developed postoperative MG. Conclusions Preoperative and postoperative anti-AChR-Ab positivity might be associated with post-thymectomy MG. Therefore, regular measurement of anti-AChR-Ab levels after thymectomy is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Nabe
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Teppei Hashimoto
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Kanji Tanaka
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Fujita
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Katsuma Yoshimatsu
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Yukiko Nemoto
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Rintaro Oyama
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Hiroki Matsumiya
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Masataka Mori
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Kanayama
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Akihiro Taira
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Shinji Shinohara
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Taiji Kuwata
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Masaru Takenaka
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Yuko Tashima
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Koji Kuroda
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
| | - Fumihiro Tanaka
- Second Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
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32
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Turner JS, O'Halloran JA, Kalaidina E, Kim W, Schmitz AJ, Zhou JQ, Lei T, Thapa M, Chen RE, Case JB, Amanat F, Rauseo AM, Haile A, Xie X, Klebert MK, Suessen T, Middleton WD, Shi PY, Krammer F, Teefey SA, Diamond MS, Presti RM, Ellebedy AH. SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines induce persistent human germinal centre responses. Nature 2021; 596:109-113. [PMID: 34182569 PMCID: PMC8935394 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03738-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 507] [Impact Index Per Article: 169.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-based vaccines are about 95% effective in preventing COVID-191-5. The dynamics of antibody-secreting plasmablasts and germinal centre B cells induced by these vaccines in humans remain unclear. Here we examined antigen-specific B cell responses in peripheral blood (n = 41) and draining lymph nodes in 14 individuals who had received 2 doses of BNT162b2, an mRNA-based vaccine that encodes the full-length SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) gene1. Circulating IgG- and IgA-secreting plasmablasts that target the S protein peaked one week after the second immunization and then declined, becoming undetectable three weeks later. These plasmablast responses preceded maximal levels of serum anti-S binding and neutralizing antibodies to an early circulating SARS-CoV-2 strain as well as emerging variants, especially in individuals who had previously been infected with SARS-CoV-2 (who produced the most robust serological responses). By examining fine needle aspirates of draining axillary lymph nodes, we identified germinal centre B cells that bound S protein in all participants who were sampled after primary immunization. High frequencies of S-binding germinal centre B cells and plasmablasts were sustained in these draining lymph nodes for at least 12 weeks after the booster immunization. S-binding monoclonal antibodies derived from germinal centre B cells predominantly targeted the receptor-binding domain of the S protein, and fewer clones bound to the N-terminal domain or to epitopes shared with the S proteins of the human betacoronaviruses OC43 and HKU1. These latter cross-reactive B cell clones had higher levels of somatic hypermutation as compared to those that recognized only the SARS-CoV-2 S protein, which suggests a memory B cell origin. Our studies demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 mRNA-based vaccination of humans induces a persistent germinal centre B cell response, which enables the generation of robust humoral immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson S Turner
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jane A O'Halloran
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Elizaveta Kalaidina
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Wooseob Kim
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Aaron J Schmitz
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Julian Q Zhou
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Tingting Lei
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Mahima Thapa
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rita E Chen
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - James Brett Case
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Fatima Amanat
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Adriana M Rauseo
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Alem Haile
- Clinical Trials Unit, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Xuping Xie
- University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Michael K Klebert
- Clinical Trials Unit, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Teresa Suessen
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - William D Middleton
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Pei-Yong Shi
- University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Florian Krammer
- Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sharlene A Teefey
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michael S Diamond
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Vaccines and Immunity to Microbial Pathogens, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
- The Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology & Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Rachel M Presti
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
- Center for Vaccines and Immunity to Microbial Pathogens, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Ali H Ellebedy
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
- Center for Vaccines and Immunity to Microbial Pathogens, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
- The Andrew M. and Jane M. Bursky Center for Human Immunology & Immunotherapy Programs, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
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Zong G, Liu S, Chen Z, Hu Y. Efficacy and safety of Buzhong Yiqi decoction combined with western medicine in the treatment of myasthenia gravis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e24807. [PMID: 33725947 PMCID: PMC7982241 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000024807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Myasthenia gravis is a common autoimmune disease in clinic. Although there are various ways and drugs for the treatment of myasthenia gravis in Western medicine, there are still a variety of adverse reactions. Studies have shown that Buzhong Yiqi decoction combined with Western medicine has a certain efficacy in the treatment of myasthenia gravis, but there is a lack of evidence-based medicine. The research carried out in this scheme is to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Buzhong Yiqi decoction combined with Western medicine in the treatment of myasthenia gravis, and to provide reliable evidence for guiding clinical practice. METHODS English databases (the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase) and Chinese databases (China Biomedical Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang) will be searched by computer. In addition, Baidu Academic and Chinese Clinical Trial Registration Center will be searched manually. A randomized controlled clinical trial of Buzhong Yiqi decoction combined with Western medicine in the treatment of myasthenia gravis will be conducted from the establishment of the database to December 2020. The 2 researchers independently carry out data extraction and literature quality evaluation on the quality of the included study, and meta-analysis of the included literature will be carried out by using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of Buzhong Yiqi decoction combined with Western medicine in the treatment of myasthenia gravis by Quantitive MGscore, the number of Tregs cells and the content of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody (AchR-Ab). CONCLUSION This study will provide reliable evidence-based evidence for the clinical application of Buzhong Yiqi decoction combined with Western medicine in the treatment of myasthenia gravis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Private information from individuals will not be published. This systematic review also does not involve endangering participant rights. Ethical approval was not required. The results may be published in a peer-reviewed journal or disseminated at relevant conferences. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/MXUPK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Zong
- Jiaozhou Central Hospital of Qingdao, Jiaozhou
| | - Shiliang Liu
- Community Health Service Center, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | | | - Yulei Hu
- Jiaozhou Central Hospital of Qingdao, Jiaozhou
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