Molecular evidence for the expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α-chain in mouse thymus

• DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.148.10.3105
• Publication Date: 2022-12-31T23:45:11Z
• Authors: L M Wheatley; D Urso; K Tumas; J Maltzman; E Loh; A I Levinson
• Keywords: Alpha chain; Thymocyte; Pathogenesis

The presence and structure of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) in the thymus has been a subject interest for many years because its possible role pathogenesis autoimmune disease myasthenia gravis. Using polymerase chain reaction with primers specific alpha-chain nAChR (nAChR-alpha), an 880-bp homologous band was found after amplification cDNA prepared from mouse thymus, thymic medullary cortical epithelial cell lines, but not thymocytes or kidney. Sequencing product lines showed identity skeletal muscle nAChR-alpha over region examined. This includes domains molecule on which B T autoantigenic targets have described. No evidence tissue exon 3A, described human rhabdomyosarcoma line TE671. Our results provide at RNA level expression stromal cells normal murine are consistent intrathymic autoantigen