Mediation of cellular immune response by TP5 in pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis

Objective To evaluate the effects of TP5 upon the production of IFN-γ and different T cell subsets by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) and to provide experimental rationales for TP5 in clinical therapy of MG. Methods PBMCs were isolated from peripheral blood of MG individuals and cultured with anti-CD3. The level of IFN-γ in culture supernatants was examined by ELISA. The subsets and frequency of IFN-γ-producing cells were examined at a single-cell level by flow cytometry. Results After PBMCs stimulation with anti-CD3 and TP5 (300 μg/ml) , the level of IFN-γ expression was significantly inhibited ( P_(child) =0. 0001 , P_(adult) =0. 01 ) ; and the level of IFN-γ expression from normal adult and child controls was also significantly inhibited (P_(child) = 0. 009,P_(adult) =0. 0001 ). In addition, the inhibition of TP5 on the production of IFN-γ by PBMCs from MG children was lower compared with normal child control. But as compared with normal adult control, the inhibition of TP5 showed no significant difference in MG adults ( P_(adult) = 0.481 ). TP5 inhibited the expression of IFN-γ by CD8 + T cell and CD4 + T cell. Conclusion TP5 can inhibit the response of cellular immune by decreasing the production of IFN-γ in MG consequence display that the level of IFN-γ significant decreased with the addition of TP5 and anti-CD3. But after considering the age, the level of IFN-γ in MG children was no as much inhibited as normal child. TP5 inhibits the expression of IFN-γ by CD8 + T and CD4 + T cells. Key words: Thymopetidum;  Myasthenia gravis;  Cellular immunity