The pathogenic role of acetylcholine receptor α chain epitope within α146-162 in the development of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis in C57BL6 mice

One of the dominant T cell epitopes in the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) α chain lies within the region 146-162 and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) in C57BL6 (B6) mice. To directly examine the pathogenic potential of α146-162 in EAMG, B6 mice were primed with AChR in complete Freunds adjuvant (CFA) and subsequently boosted twice with either α146-162 or a control peptide in CFA. Seventy percent of the mice boosted with α146-162 developed muscle weakness characteristic of EAMG, while none of the mice boosted with the control peptide showed any clinical signs of the disease. Thus, the data provided evidence for epitope within AChR α146-162 as one of the EAMG-inducing pathogenic epitopes in B6 mice.