New MG Research: HMGB1
 

Hi, guys. This new research is very interesting. It implies that there IS an inflammatory component to MG. HMGB1 has been implicated in lupus, but this is a fairly new discovery.

"CONCLUSIONS: Serum HMGB1 is elevated in patients with MG and may play a key role in the inflammation of the neuromuscular junction."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25344065

And what is HMGB1? It's called High-mobility group box 1 protein, which was recently discovered, and is a cytokine that mediates the response to infection, injury, and inflammation.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15803152

You have to wonder if it has a role in other disease states associated with inflammation, such as celiac disease (inflammation of the small intestine).

And this further info on LRP4 is interesting as well.

"These observations demonstrate that LRP4 is essential for maintaining the structural and functional integrity of the NMJ and that loss of muscle LRP4 in adulthood alone is sufficient to cause myasthenic symptoms."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25319686

I'm glad that there is so much research going on in the field of immunity right now. It gives me hope.

Annie


For any geeks out there, here's more.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3976415/