Journal
BIOMEDICINES
Volume 10, Issue 6, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10061360
Keywords
myasthenia gravis; autoimmunity; biomarkers; complement system; anti-complement therapy
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Funding
- Italian Ministry of Health [RF-2016-02364384]
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The study identifies plasma complement proteins as potential biomarkers for tailoring anti-complement therapy in myasthenia gravis patients, specifically in those with anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive MG. The alterations in complement C2, C3, C5, C3b, and C5a levels may serve as indicators of complement activation status and aid in improving disease treatment through personalized anti-complement therapies.
The complement system plays a key role in myasthenia gravis (MG). Anti-complement drugs are emerging as effective therapies to treat anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody-positive MG patients, though their usage is still limited by the high costs. Here, we searched for plasma complement proteins as indicators of complement activation status in AChR-MG patients, and potential biomarkers for tailoring anti-complement therapy in MG. Plasma was collected from AChR-MG and MuSK-MG patients, and healthy controls. Multiplex immunoassays and ELISA were used to quantify a panel of complement components (C1Q, C2, C3, C4, C5, Factor B, Factor H, MBL, and properdin) and activation products (C4b, C3b, C5a, and C5b-9), of classical, alternative and lectin pathways. C2 and C5 levels were significantly reduced, and C3, C3b, and C5a increased, in plasma of AChR-MG, but not MuSK-MG, patients compared to controls. This protein profile was indicative of complement activation. We obtained sensitivity and specificity performance results suggesting plasma C2, C3, C3b, and C5 as biomarkers for AChR-MG. Our findings reveal a plasma complement C2, C3, C5, C3b, and C5a profile associated with AChR-MG to be further investigated as a biomarker of complement activation status in AChR-MG patients, opening new perspectives for tailoring of anti-complement therapies to improve the disease treatment.
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