Chronic murine experimental myasthenia gravis: strength testing and serology

CB6 (Balb/c x C57Bl/6 F1) and C57Bl/6 (B6) mice were hyperimmunized with Torpedo acetylcholine receptor (AChR) for 7 months. Control groups were hyperimmunized with bovine serum albumin. Antibody titers against Torpedo AChR rose quickly, reaching plateau levels by 3-4 months, while antibody to mouse AChR lagged by a few months, reaching plateau levels in 5 months. After the last immunization the mice maintained a state of stable autoimmunity for 9 months with high levels of antibodies against Torpedo and mouse AChR. Fatigability was measured on a programmable treadmill and remained present through the 9 months after the last immunization. CB6 mice had less weakness than the B6 mice, but the latter strain when immunized with BSA had more "false-positive" weakness. Titers of antibodies did not correlate with the degree of weakness measured on the treadmill. Despite the weakness and the high titers of anti-AChR antibodies, sera from myasthenic mice, in contrast to sera from myasthenic humans, were not able to block bungarotoxin binding to native AChR on the surface of BC3H1 cells.