Lack of evidence for Epstein-Barr virus infection in myasthenia gravis thymus.
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 21905083.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1002/ana.22522.
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Abstract
A role for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in myasthenia gravis pathogenesis has been suggested recently. Using in situ hybridization for the detection of the EBV-encoded RNAs and EBNA1-specific immunohistochemistry, we found no latently infected cells in a series of thymus specimens from patients with myasthenia gravis showing lymphofollicular thymitis. In addition, using immunohistochemistry and an antibody specific for the viral immediate early protein BZLF1, no evidence of lytic EBV infection was seen in these cases. Our results therefore do not support a direct role of thymic EBV infection in the pathogenesis of myasthenia gravis.
Medical subject headings
- Epstein-Barr Virus Infections
- Myasthenia Gravis
- Thymus Gland