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Influence of human myasthenia gravis thymus on the differentiation of human cord blood stem cells in SCID mice

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Abstract

The normal thymus contributes to T lymphocytes differentiation and induction of tolerance to self-antigens. Myasthenia gravis (MG) is characterized by abnormal thymic hyperplasia. To assess the potential influence of MG-thymus on the differentiation of T lymphocytes differentiation, we used the MG-thymus transplanted severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice model to evaluate the human cord blood stem cells differentiation. Thymus fragments from MG patient and human cord blood stem cells were transplanted into SCID mice successively. SCID mice were observed to develop sustained human T lymphocytes and a functional anti-tumor immune. The levels of various T cell subsets in SCID mice with MG-thymus were different from that of control group. Among that, the frequency of CD4+CD25+ T cells was significant lower in SCID mice with MG-thymus. The deficiency of CD4+CD25+ T cells seens to contribute to the pathogenesis of MG.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by the project of National Natural Science Foundation of China. Project number: 81172874.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, No.100 of Science Road, Zhengzhou, 450001, China

    Qian Ru Li, Ping Ping Liu, Xiao Yan Xuan, Sha Sha Guan & Ying Du

  2. Henan Institute of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, No. 40 of Daxue Road, Zhengzhou, 450052, China

    Feng Gao

  3. The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, No. 2 of Jingba Road, Zhengzhou, 450014, China

    Qing Yong Zhang

Authors
  1. Qian Ru Li
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  2. Ping Ping Liu
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  3. Xiao Yan Xuan
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  4. Sha Sha Guan
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  5. Ying Du
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  6. Feng Gao
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  7. Qing Yong Zhang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ying Du.

Additional information

Q. R. Li and P. P. Liu contributed equally to this work.

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Li, Q.R., Liu, P.P., Xuan, X.Y. et al. Influence of human myasthenia gravis thymus on the differentiation of human cord blood stem cells in SCID mice. Neurol Sci 35, 191–197 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-013-1476-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-013-1476-8

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