Myasthenia gravis: measurement of anti-AChR autoantibodies using cell line TE671

Anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies in myasthenia gravis (MG) can be quantitated using AChR extracted from the human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line TE671 (AChRTE671) as a practical alternative to AChR from human amputated limbs (AChRAMP). We compared the two antigen preparations using serum samples from different clinical groups of MG patients (n = 112) and various controls (n = 189). With two exceptions, both tests were positive or negative in the same patients. However, in the generalized MG group, the TE671 assay yielded significantly lower titers than the AChRAMP assay.