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Immunopathogenesis of Myasthenia Gravis

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Myasthenia Gravis and Related Disorders

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Neurology ((CCNEU))

Abstract

The development of myasthenia gravis (MG), similar to the other autoimmune diseases, combines a predisposing genetic background, immune imbalance, and triggering factors. The etiological hypotheses are discussed, and the role of the thymus is detailed in the context of the recent results of the thymectomy trial. The main defects of immune regulation, including the role of B cells, the immune imbalance between Treg and Th17 cells, and the role of follicular helper cells, are reviewed. Together, this book chapter summarizes the heterogeneity of MG patients and the genetic, immunological, and environmental mechanisms that play a potential role in this disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. La Pitié-Salpêtrière, Center of Research in Myology, Paris, France

    Rozen Le Panse PhD & Sonia Berrih-Aknin DSc, DR. INSERM

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  1. Rozen Le Panse PhD
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  2. Sonia Berrih-Aknin DSc, DR. INSERM
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Correspondence to Sonia Berrih-Aknin DSc, DR. INSERM .

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  1. Department of Neurology, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA

    Henry J. Kaminski

  2. Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA

    Linda L. Kusner

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Le Panse, R., Berrih-Aknin, S. (2018). Immunopathogenesis of Myasthenia Gravis. In: Kaminski, H., Kusner, L. (eds) Myasthenia Gravis and Related Disorders. Current Clinical Neurology. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73585-6_3

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