[Pathogenesis of autoimmunity in thymoma]

Verh Dtsch Ges Pathol. 1993:77:282-6.
[Article in German]

Abstract

The analysis of thymic epithelial tumors (TET) with and without myasthenia gravis (MG) has identified both a residual organotypic differentiation of TETs and the aberrant expression of acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-epitopes in TET epithelial cells to be associated with MG. These findings have suggested an abnormal selection of helper T cells as a mechanism of paraneoplastic MG. Here we show by electronmicroscopy that epithelial cells of TETs and normal thymus exhibit the morphological features (autophagic vacuoles) thought to be necessary to process endogenous proteins for presentation by MHC class II molecules to immature T cells.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology*
  • Autoimmune Diseases / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / immunology
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / ultrastructure
  • Humans
  • Microscopy, Immunoelectron
  • Receptors, Cholinergic / analysis
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Thymoma / immunology*
  • Thymoma / pathology*
  • Thymoma / ultrastructure
  • Thymus Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Thymus Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Thymus Neoplasms / ultrastructure

Substances

  • Receptors, Cholinergic