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Preparation of Single-Cell Suspension of Mouse Thymic Epithelial Cells and Staining of Intracellular Molecules for Flow Cytometric Analysis
Published on: July 26, 2024
Infrequent and low AIRE expression in thymoma: difference in AIRE expression among WHO subtypes does not correlate
Eriko Suzuki1, Yoshihiro Kobayashi, Motoki Yano
1Department of Surgery II, Nagoya City University Medical School, Nagoya, Japan.
Abstract:
Thymoma is frequently associated with autoimmune diseases, including myasthenia gravis (MG). The failure of thymoma microenvironment to induce T cell tolerance may be responsible for its association of MG. Autoimmune regulator (AIRE) expression in the medullary thymic epithelial cells has been reported to play a role in presenting autoantigen and induction of tolerance. We studied AIRE mRNA in 45 thymomas and three normal thymi using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Only 23/45 (51.1%) of thymomas expressed AIRE mRNA at low levels while all normal thymi expressed AIRE mRNA. There was no correlation between AIRE mRNA and association of MG or presence of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody. The infrequent and low expression of AIRE mRNA may play a role the induction of autoimmune diseases but other factors also seem to be involved.
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