Increased circulation of T lymphocytes bearing surface thymosin α 1 in patients with myasthenia gravis

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Abstract
We studied the interaction of the thymic hormone thymosin α1 with peripheral blood B and T lymphocytes in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), using antibodies against thymosin α1 in an immunofluorescence technique. Eleven of 16 patients with symptomatic MG had an increased number of T lymphocytes bearing surface thymosin α1 (Tα,); 5 patients with asymptomatic disease had normal levels of Tα1 In six young adults with symptomatic MG who subsequently responded to thymectomy, the number of Tα1 cells returned to normal 1 month after thymectomy. Because levels of Tαl correlated with symptoms and thymosin α1 specifically recruits helper T cells, our findings suggest that Tα1 may play an immunoregulatory role in the pathogenesis of MG. Determination of Tα1 levels may prove to be helpful in assessing residual thymic activity after thymectomy.