TY - JOUR
T1 - Current and future therapies for myasthenia gravis
AU - Yi, Qing
AU - Lefvert, Ann Kari
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2017 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - Myasthenia gravis (MG) is undoubtedly the most thoroughly understood of all human autoimmune diseases. The basic defect in the disease is a decrease in the number of available acetylcholine receptors (AChR) at neuromuscular junctions caused by an antibody-mediated autoimmune attack. Current treatments aimed at restoring the available AChR, depleting the autoantibodies or suppressing the immune system have been so effective that most patients can lead normal lives. However, prolonged drug treatment is required, and this carries a potential risk of drug toxicity and, in the case of immunosuppressants, systemic immunosuppression. The ideal treatment for MG would eliminate only the abnormal autoimmune response without interfering with the immune system. During the past 20 years, impressive advances have been made in our understanding of the immunology and molecular biology of MG. Accordingly, it should be possible to design rational and immune-based therapies in the future. In this article, we briefly review the current treatment modalities for MG, and discuss the prospects for immunotherapy.
AB - Myasthenia gravis (MG) is undoubtedly the most thoroughly understood of all human autoimmune diseases. The basic defect in the disease is a decrease in the number of available acetylcholine receptors (AChR) at neuromuscular junctions caused by an antibody-mediated autoimmune attack. Current treatments aimed at restoring the available AChR, depleting the autoantibodies or suppressing the immune system have been so effective that most patients can lead normal lives. However, prolonged drug treatment is required, and this carries a potential risk of drug toxicity and, in the case of immunosuppressants, systemic immunosuppression. The ideal treatment for MG would eliminate only the abnormal autoimmune response without interfering with the immune system. During the past 20 years, impressive advances have been made in our understanding of the immunology and molecular biology of MG. Accordingly, it should be possible to design rational and immune-based therapies in the future. In this article, we briefly review the current treatment modalities for MG, and discuss the prospects for immunotherapy.
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U2 - 10.2165/00002512-199711020-00005
DO - 10.2165/00002512-199711020-00005
M3 - Review article
C2 - 9259176
AN - SCOPUS:0030859338
SN - 1170-229X
VL - 11
SP - 132
EP - 139
JO - Drugs and Aging
JF - Drugs and Aging
IS - 2
ER -