ABSENCE OF ANTI-ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTOR ANTIBODIES IN PRAOMYS (MASTOMYS) NATALENSIS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 43  (1) , 94-98
Abstract
P. natalensis might be an animal model for human myasthenia gravis. This suggestion was based on the occurrence of thymomas and autoantibody to striated muscle in this animal species. Myasthenia gravis in man is associated with anti-striated muscle antibody and thymoma and anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody. Such autoantibodies were searched for in Praomys. There was no evidence of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody in any of the serum samples tested. The titers found in Praomys correspond to those observed in human control sera. No difference was found in the number of .alpha.-bungarotoxin-binding sites at the motor endplate and in muscle extracts between animals with and without thymoma and with and without anti-striated muscle antibody. It apparently, is very unlikely that myasthenia gravis occurs with any frequency in P. natalensis.