Analysis Of The Levels Of AChRAb, IL12, Complement Components And Immunoglobulins In Children With Ocular Myasthenia Gravis

ObjectTo detect the levels of serial IL12, AChRAb, C3, C4, IgM, IgA, IgG and the expressiverates of IL12p40p70in PBMC, and analyze their roles in children with ocular myastheniagravis.MethodsPeripheral blood samples of66children diagnosed as ocular myasthenia gravis fromJanuary2011to October2011in outpatient department of neurology，Tongji Hospitalwere collected, and55age-matched healthy participants served as controls. The levels ofIL12p40and AChRAb were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) andthe expressive rates of IL12p40p70in PBMC were analyzed by flow cytometry. At thesame time the concentration of C3, C4, IgG, IgM and IgA in serum of patients weredetected. SPSS18.0software was employed for statistical analysis.ResultIn OMG group,48of66cases（73%）were positive for AChRAb, woman accounted for,69%,and man accounted for76%.There is no significant difference in expressive rate of IL12p40p70in PBMC betweenpatients and healthy controls, regardless of GC administration and serial AchRab titer.The levels of serial IL12p40of OMG children with normal thyroid and thymus arestatistically higher than those of normal controls regardless of GC administration, althoughthe amount of IL12p40decreased dramatically after GC treatment in OMG group.After GC treatment, the concentration of C3, C4and IgM of children OMG with normal thyroid are signifcantlly reduced compared with those of healthy controls, whether theAChRAb are positive or not. In children with OMG, the levels of C3are positivelycorrelated with those of C4regardless of AChRAb titer.There is no statistical difference in amount of IgG and IgA between OMG patients withnormal thyroid, normal thymus and GC administration older than10years old, and normalcontrols (P>0.05).ConclusionMajority of children OMG patients have positive AChRAb. IL12p40is involved in theimmunological pathogenesis of children with OMG. It is possible that C3and C4playimportant roles in children OMG by activating classical complement pathway. Most ofChinese ocular myasthenia gravis in children belongs to autoimmune diseases.